Gathering Again
by Amaya-san
Summary: Chihiro is taken into the UotFG because an evil force has invaded the book, intent on plunging it into total darkness. Not only that, but the seishi have been reborn as ANIMALS! How will they protect their miko now? What's become of Miaka? ch 20 up!
1. Beginnings

_**Gathering Again**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yûgi; wish I did, but don't! You can't sue me now! HA! However, I do own Chihiro, and anyone else that is not from Yû Watase's show!

xXxXx

"How about this one, Chihiro?"

A girl with shoulder-length raven black hair, tied up in a high ponytail and dressed in a navy blue school uniform skirt and white flannel shirt, turned from where she was reaching through bars petting a chocolate Labrador. Her green eyes sparkled as she looked at the animal, a smile spreading across her face as she turned towards the fair skinned woman calling her. "Hai, Okaa-san?"

Chihiro and her parents had gone on the last day of school to the shelter to adopt a dog…or two.

The Sakamoto family was quite wealthy, residing in a big estate located in Kyoto, Japan. They had summer cabins scattered everywhere, on up in the mountains, one in the countryside... Least to say, their vacations were hardly ever a flop.

Mr. And Mrs. Sakamoto had driven into the city so as to get their daughter a friend to keep her from boredom and lonesomeness while they went on their summer business trip, usually lasting at least three-four weeks at the most.

Chihiro had been excited out of her mind to get a dog, despite her mother's wishes for her to buy a cat. According to her mother, felines were, "Cleaner and smarter" than a dog, but her daughter begged to differ. How could a cat so smart if they did not even know the meaning of the word, "stay?" Her father had enjoyed watching his wife and child have their debate from the sidelines, obviously finding their disagreements amusing. When asked about his opinion on the matter, he had very suavely refused to give a comment.

Purchasing a pet would be exactly what she needed to keep her life active while her parents were away, besides chatting small talk with the maids and butlers back at the mansion in the countryside. It would give her exercise, and teach her more about responsibility, which would be helpful when she came of dating age. The girl was still fifteen, and her parents had been very clear as to when they would allow her to start off in group settings. Not until sixteen, could she do this. One-on-one dating would have to wait until she was eighteen.

This did not bother Chihiro that much; there were currently no boys she was interested in, so what was the hurry to date, even as a group? The high school girl had always had problems making friends, let alone catching the eyes of boys at her school; all her schoolmates thought her to be nothing more than a rich snob, and avoided her. This was quite the contrary, however. While her family was well off, she was very generous. And compassionate. The other students just could not see that…

Chihiro turned from the mutt she had been studying, and walked over to the cage her mother pointed at, wherein contained a small Pomeranian. She wrinkled her nose. "Okaa-san, I don't want a measly little puff-ball like that!" Her oval-shaped eyes turned to the man standing beside her mother. "I thought you said there were big dogs here too, but all we have been looking at are small lapdogs, besides that one over there…" She indicated to the black lab with a wave of her hand.

Her father, a tall, broad shouldered man from whom she'd inherited her dark hair and eyes pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and casually slid a hand into his gray business suit pocket. "Chihiro-chan," He spoke with great clarity, yet his voice was soft and gentle. "I know you would like a grown dog, but would it not be easier to start out with a puppy?"

"Yes, but I want a puppy that will grow up, and almost be able to look me in the eye if it were on its hind legs," She glanced down at the yelping puff of ivory-white that was leaning against the cage door yapping excitedly. "Not a little thing like this!"

Her mother sighed despairingly. "But it's so adorable…" She cooed. "Hello there, darling. Oh, you are such a sweety…!" The small dog licked the woman's hand. Chihiro groaned.

"Okaa-san, the dog is going to be mine, not yours." She reminded. "I want to get one that will listen to me, and one that _I_ will like." She turned and strode down the hall. "I'm off to Kennel 5 to see what is there."

xXxXx

Anxiously looking left and right for puppies, Chihiro was able to find none. "Were they all adopted already?" Disappointment clouded her once anticipating eyes. "I thought for sure they would have lots of puppies…"

The depressing silence gave way to a small, yet boisterous howl that stole her attention. She clutched at her shirt, attempting to still her rapidly beating heart, as it had startled her. "W-where did it come from?"

She speed-walked down the row of empty cages, glancing in one empty pen from the next on both her left and right and was about to give up hope when she heard the sound of metal wire being leaned upon. Her head whirled around and she saw a small, gangly puppy shaking excitedly and whimpering, wagging its tail and looking up at her with big, pleading eyes.

Her heart melted immediately. Bending down next to the door, she timidly reached her fingers in; it licked them, imploring her with the biggest amber-brown eyes she had ever seen to take it home. It was small, probably only just old enough to be taken from its mother. The young canine had a long tail with pointed ears; its fiery coat shimmered like the sea, yet seemed to flicker like flames in their fireplace back home with each movement it made. It had big feet, and moved around before her in a rather clumsy manner, as it would trip over its own feet from time to time. Chihiro giggled.

Glancing at the door, she saw a clipboard, which read in semi-sloppy cursive kanji: 5 months, needs good home. Male. But it did not mention what type of breed it was.

"Oh well, you're a cutie anyways!" She announced to the doggie. "I _so_ want to take you home with me, boy!" It yipped appreciatively.

She needed a four-legged companion that would stay with her no matter what the circumstance, one that would be friendly enough to return the love she was so willing to give. And this little guy looked to be a worthy candidate.

An employee passed by after having just left another kennel, stopping behind Chihiro. He smiled a down at the girl, widening when he saw which of their furry occupants she had obvious interest in. "That little one is cute, isn't it?"

Chihiro had heard a person coming, but had not expected to speak with him. The girl nearly fell over in surprise from her crouched position before the pen door. "Hm?"

Turning from the pup, she looked up and saw the man, tall with dark brown eyes and fair complexion. His narrow chin and delicate features made her blush. She did not bother to read the nametag pinned to his chest, as she was so mesmerized; his hair was a fiery red, and his smile kind. Quite handsome, actually.

She nodded in agreement, smiling. "Yes, he is indeed." Reaching her hand in again, the girl barely managed to contain the adoration welling within her for the almost babyish acts of the puppy as it peered out at her. It wagged its tail at her a few times, simply staring into her eyes. "I think I might want him!" Chihiro declared moments later.

A joyful expression spread across the man's face. "Wonderful! Shall I take him out, so that the two of you can get better acquainted with each other?" he offered.

"Yes, please do, if it's alright…" No sooner had she said those words, the door was unlocked and the puppy pounced on her playfully, licking her face and making her giggle with delight. She smiled; he still had that puppy smell that most puppies have for a short time after being born. It made her want to smother the darling creature with kisses.

The man smiled at them. "You stay here and have fun with your little friend, if you like; I'll go get your parents a while, miss."

Oh, but how would he know which couple to retrieve if he had never met her before? She looked up to ask him just this, and to ask if he possibly knew her parents only to find that he had already gone. "Eh?" The raven-haired teenager blinked in confusion, scratching her head lightly. 'Where did he go? He couldn't have been that fast, could he?'

The puppy whined, wanting his new friend's attention and in doing so drew her out of her thoughts. Her hands moved over his shiny body, rubbing his sides and scratching his neck. "Easy, boy! I don't want to get too attached in case Okaa-san says 'no'…" She couldn't help but laugh at what he began to do next. "Hey, cut that out!" she ordered. The puppy wouldn't take "no" for an answer, playfully nipping her sleeve and pulling on it. "You are a little deviller, you know that?"

It growled mischievously and, for just a brief moment, its little fangs showed beneath its doggie-lips. Her eyes widened slightly, holding back her laughter. "Fierce little thing, aren't you? You'll make a good guard dog…now leggo of my sleeve, please!"

"CHIHIRO!"

The ex-freshman nearly fell over and the puppy gave a startled yelp, ducking behind her for safety. She whirled around to find her mother standing there with her father; her hands on her hips and she looked _infuriated_.

"We have been looking for you everywhere; now we find you here, and with…with _that?_" She evidently was not pleased with her daughter's selection.

"Now, dear…" Her father's voice was stark calm in comparison to that of his spouse. "She did tell us she would be here, in Kennel 5…"

"You, hush," she snapped, wagging her finger at her husband for silence though a hint of affection was hidden in there somewhere, making him smile and nod. Her high-heels clacked on the floor as she made her way over, Mr. Sakamoto remained where he was. "What are you doing with that mongrel? I thought we had agreed on getting a pure-breed for you…" She took an unsure step back as the pup growled at her, still allowing his self to be sheltered by his new friend.

Chihiro's father chuckled, casually making his way over and bent down, scratching its ears. The puppy leaned into his touch, obviously enjoying the rubbing. "But dear, it _is_ pretty cute…"

"You're agreeing with our daughter? That…_thing_ was attacking her!" The woman insisted.

The same bemused smile from just moments before flickered wider across his lips. "Dear, you are over-reacting. It was only playing with her the way puppies do. It meant no harm." His green eyes, similar to his only child's, rotated to stare into her own. "Chihiro-chan, you want this one, ne?"

"HAI!" She proclaimed, snatching the puppy off the floor and cuddling against her chest as it licked her face for the millionth time that hour.

"Alright, let's go to the desk and get going." He put an arm around his only child's shoulder and guided her out, his wife wisely staying to his other side and away from the "vicious" puppy, much to his amusement.

Mrs. Sakamoto sighed in defeat. So much for the cat idea. "Chihiro, darling, what are you going to call it?"

"It's a he, 'Kaa-san." She lightly corrected, saying so around another doggie kiss. "And as for a name, I'm not sure yet. Maybe something will come to me soon…. Boy, stop squirming around; I can't hold you that good!" It slicked her face, making her want to stop scolding him.

xXxXx

"Well, that pretty much does it," A female worker stated cheerfully to the most recent customers. "All that's needed now is a name. Do you know what you'd like to name your little friend here so I can get the license ready?"

"Ano…" Chihiro pivoted from one foot to the other trying to think of a suitable name for the puppy that was currently chewing at her stocking. She bent down, trying to gently pry him off without hurting his baby teeth. But when she did manage to separate him from her article of clothing, he gave an agitated howl; sounding much like that of a wolf. Chihiro's mother jumped, clutching at her husband's arm. Mr. Sakamoto and the desk person also gave a light start.

After the initial astonishment went away, she giggled, scratching him behind his ears affectionately; he closed his big round eyes as he relished the caresses. She had to come up with a name on the spot, and it had to be a good name. "Uhm…his name is…"

His pointed ears twitched as he looked up, waiting anxiously for his new identity.

"…Genrou." The name had come to her out of the blue. 'His name is Genrou; Phantom Wolf.' She thought. Chihiro gave an enthusiastic nod to the given name while Genrou barked his approval from the floor.

"Alright, 'Genrou' it is." The woman behind the counter top wrote in legible kanji the name "Genrou" on a pinkish sheet of paper, turning it around on the countertop to face them and handed the pen to the girl. "Here's the adoption certificate, miss. Just sign here…" Chihiro excitedly scribbled her name on the appropriate space. The worker smiled, turning to another worker behind her and took a silver tag with her pet's name engraved upon its surface on one side, her family's address and phone number on the flip side, should he ever get lost. "Enjoy your new friend."

Without even asking for the newly bought leash in her father's hand, Chihiro called for the puppy to follow. "Gen-chan, come here, boy! Come on!"

Playfully barking, he chased after her, out the doors of the shelter and over to their car in the small parking lot. Not once outside did it look like he contemplated leaving her side. Once they got to the car, he waited patiently by her feet for her parents to catch up, and was given a deserving scratch atop his head. Both grown-ups were stunned; he had such discipline for a 5-month-old puppy, and without any training!

"Can we go now?" Chihiro asked, also thinking that it was odd, but was too excited to let it bother her for long. Shaking his head from a daze, Mr. Sakamoto pressed the button that unlocked the car automatically and Chihiro opened the back door, patting on the seat and signaling for Genrou to get in—he was only too happy to comply—before getting in herself. The parents still stared at each other in bewilderment as they got in themselves, fastening their seatbelts and pulled off.

xXxXx

On the long drive home, Chihiro looked down at her lap to find Genrou sound asleep, his head resting on her knees. He looked so sweet, and she wanted to play with him, but was told earlier by her parents that if she did get a puppy, it would need a lot of rest; it was still growing. It was just like a baby, her baby. She stroked his small form lovingly, filled with so much joy at having a new friend.

She couldn't wait to get home and show him her room, and give him his puppy toys that she had bought for him a few days prior. 'Speaking of things I got him…' Reaching into her shirt pocket, she pulled out the metal license tag that had the name "Genrou" printed on it in fine Japanese characters. Taking a black collar out of a bag sitting at her feet, while being careful not to wake the dozing creature, the dark-haired girl secured the item onto its proper place from the woven material.

There, once he was awake and playful again, she would put it on him so that no one could take him away from her, in case he would ever get away. But she would not let that happen. Chihiro promised herself then and there to be very careful with her little friend, and see to his every need as he grew up, whether it be grooming his vibrant coat or simply playing with him, sowing out countless amounts of motherly love she had for this adorable creatures.

"My little Gen-chan…" she whispered, stroking his face lightly, making him let out a comforted sigh. She smiled. "You're mine forever, little Genrou. We shall have lots of times together this summer, won't we?"


	2. Weird Occurences

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yûgi, or hope to gain profit from writing this fanfic in any way. If you must give credit to anyone, give it to Yû Watase for creating this wonderful series; it is, by far, my absolute favorite!

xXxXx

"Now remember, Chihiro-chan…" Her father paused mid-sentence to give his daughter a quick hug good-bye before his departure.

The day had come, in mid June for her parents to travel on business. It had occurred to her that, since before she could really remember, they had always left at this time. She would miss them, of course, but was used to being left alone. Well, not entirely alone. Now that Genrou was with her. Even as her father talked, the brightly colored canine sat obediently at his master's side, tail wagging slightly.

"Your mother and I left both our cell phone numbers on a list near the phone in the kitchen, as well as the one in your room. If anything unexpected should happen—"

"Be sure to call you." She finished the well-rehearsed speech that had been spoken at least twelve times in her life, that Chihiro could remember, anyway. "Yes, I know. I'll miss you guys too, okay? But you don't need to worry about me, I have got Genrou here to protect me." She looked down at her dog before continuing. "Right, boy?" An enthusiastic bark. "See, Otou-san?"

Mr. Sakamoto sighed inwardly; why couldn't there be someone his only child could have over for company while they were gone? But he knew the answer before the question finished forming in his mind. It was not Chihiro's fault that she could not make friends so easily. Perhaps that was the wrong school to send her to. Maybe next year, he would enroll her somewhere she could more easily fit in.

But as for them going away for now, he couldn't depend on a mixed breed to guard her. After all, Genrou was still a puppy, even though he had grown so much since they had adopted him. All the same, how could he protect anyone? The dog was more friendly than aggressive. Unless someone wronged his master in some way or other.

Then again, that possibility lent him some comfort.

The horn honked from their expensive black limonene that awaited him; Mrs. Sakamoto already inside, looking at a small compact mirror while applying a shade of red in lipstick. She seemed slightly impatient about leaving, already having said her good-byes. Honestly, that husband of hers could make so much of a fuss over his only daughter. Sometimes, it was sweet. But then there were times when the middle-aged woman wanted to whap him upside the head with her purse. Their daughter was fifteen now. She would be fine. And it was not as if they were leaving her alone completely in their large house. The servants would look after her.

The driver honked the horn of the steering wheel once more; they could not afford to miss their flight. Her father sighed. "Well, I had best go…. Take care now." He turned, waving to his daughter as he ducked into the car and disappeared inside. Chihiro returned the gesture as she watched them pull out of their driveway.

"See you soon…love you!" She called. The horn tooted, vanishing around the bend of high hedges and from the property. She sighed, shoving her hands in her jean pockets. 'Well…they're gone…' Glancing down at her faithful companion, whom had not stirred from her side a minute, Chihiro asked, "Gen-chan? Want to play?" An excited yip; his tail wagged. "Alright then, let's go find your ball."

Chihiro smiled as she strode back into the house, Genrou obediently following her at her heels. They didn't have to go far; a squishy yellow ball was by the door, right where her dog had dropped it while playing earlier.

Picking it up, she waved it before the canine's face, making him excited. "Do you want it?" She teased, tossing it up and down, catching it just as Genrou was preparing to jump up. "Want it? Go get it, boy!" And she threw it far out into their backyard as hard as she could. All she heard was a woof, the grass flying out from underneath him as he took off after it, and it only seemed like a second later that he was back again before her; Genrou anxiously dropped the ball at her feet, waiting for her to throw.

Arching an eyebrow, she bent down and picked it up. "What on earth…?" She let out a small grunt as she threw it again. This time, she kept her head up, so as to watch her dog.

She saw Genrou take off with lightning speed, becoming only a reddish-orange blur; slightly black as well thanks to his collar. Within a half second, he was back before her again, bending down on his front legs and shaking his tail in playful excitement.

"That was weird…" Chihiro slowly picked it up again, keeping a puzzled eye on her pet. He only stared back into her lime-green eyes with imploring impatience. "What did you just do…?"

"He demonstrated his _seishi_ ability. Speed."

Chihiro fell over, literally, by the sudden comment. Genrou stepped forward to make sure his master was unharmed from her fall, nuzzling her forehead with his wet nose gently. She sat up, surprised at turning to see the same employee from the kennel, his red hair still sleek and shiny ever, deep brown eyes looking down into hers.

He chuckled at her bewildered expression. "Need a hand?" He offered his out to her, which she shakily took and was helped to her feet. She looked down at Genrou, hearing a soft growl.

"It's okay, boy." Reaching down, she patted his head though her hands shook slightly. "Don't get upset; this man is just helping." Chihiro added, trying to convince herself of that as well. 'Though I wonder how he got passed the security guards…' She mused, before looking back up at the stranger. "Anyway, what do you mean, 'seishi ability', Mr…?" Right then she realized that she did not know the guy's name and felt embarrassed. "Gomen nasai, sir, but would you mind telling me who you are? Mr…?"

"Suzaku." He stated simply, shoving his hands into his pockets.

'Odd name…' No sooner had Chihiro thought this, she heard Genrou whimper. Looking down at him, she saw his head bowed as if in pain, his body shaking slightly where he sat. "Gen-chan?" Worry welled up within her. "Boy, are you okay?" She knelt down, hugging him close to her, gently scratching his ear. "Genrou?" Her eyes turned back to where the red-haired man had been standing. "Sir, do you know what could be wrong with my—"

She was talking to empty air.

Chihiro gaped a moment. "What _is_ it with that guy and disappearing?"

_What th'hell are you talkin' about…?_ A voice moaned.

Chihiro fell over again with a startled squeak, releasing hold of her dog in the process. Jerking up and blowing her free hair out of her face, she let out an exasperated sigh, "Relent with the voices already! I am soon going to lose my sanity, should this continue!"

_Quit yer gripin', will ya? It's givin' me a worser headache 'en I already got…_ Replied the same rich kansai accent from before to her left, the same direction of her canine friend.

"Oh, sorry, Gen-chan," she said, turning to her dog. "I'm just really confused right now and…" Blink. "WHAT?" She caught herself talking to her dog; what was going on? And that voice…it sounded like it was inside her head! Taking a double-glance at her dog, which still sat staring up at her; she noticed the same look in his bright amber eyes, though he wasn't shaking any longer. That relieved her, somewhat; she was still creeped out, though. It had sounded like the voice had come from…

She crouched down in front of him. "You didn't just talk…did you?" He continued to stare. Chihiro moved her hand slowly before his face, watching as he followed it and…was it her, or did he look a little annoyed? Her heart was still pounding. Was she dreaming? There was absolutely no possible way that her dog, a remarkably smart one at that, had just spoken to her in this way. She needed to rid herself of the foolish suspicions swimming about in her head.

"What is…five times six?" she questioned randomly, leaning into him close enough that his ears twitched when she uttered the command. He didn't answer. Chihiro smiled to herself, lightly slapping her forehead as she stood up. "Ha, I thought I was just imagining things," she sighed in relieve. "You can't talk, Gen-chan…"

_His name is Tasuki._ A voice, regal and grand, different from the first one she had heard, echoed through her mind.

Her eyes narrowed, looking about, startled. Was she losing her grip on life? First there was a weird guy coming around with the uncanny knack of disappearing, whose name was apparently 'Suzaku,' and now she was dreaming up a voice in her head, which was telling her the supposed real name of her own dog?

Depression. It had to be a bout of depression. That had to be why all these weird things were happening to her. Or, at least, that was the only logical reason the fifteen year old could come up with. "What on…?" This was getting stranger, and stranger by the minute! Or is it schizophrenia? Her eyes widened in fear, cupping her hands to her face. That was it! That had to be it! She _was_ losing her mind after all!

A soft laugh from the same voice in her head came again. _It is all right. Call his name._

"'Tasuki'…?"

"Thirty."

Chihiro screamed, jumping and falling backwards as a result. Sitting up, her limbs trembled fiercely as she pointed an accusing finger at her dog. "Y-y-y-your lips just moved…! What did you…?"

"I said, 'thirty!' Th'damn answer's thirty, or were ya too stupid t'know that for yerself?" The orange canine rolled his eyes, lightly shaking his head. "Man, women haven't changed much…!"

"_What_ in the _world_ are you talking about?" She demanded, backing away from him while at the same time mentally bashing herself for answering and further encouraging this fit of madness.

The dog snorted. "Chill out, will ya? I'm only here 'cus of you," The tone in his voice made it sound as though being here was a chore. "So let's get t'findin' th'others an'…"

"'Others?'" Chihiro asked, still keeping her distance. "What 'others?' What are you talking about, Gen-chan…?"

She was having a conversation with her dog.

Yep, she was losing her mind.

The girl knew she should have stopped while she was ahead, but curiosity tugged at her as well. Now she actually wanted to know and understand what in the blazes he was going on about, even if it made little or no sense to her at the time.

"Th' name's Tasuki, thank ya very much!" He gripped her shirtsleeve gently with his teeth and gave a slight tug to stimulate her to stand. "Now let's go!" he growled around her sleeve. "I wanna find th'others…"

Chihiro sat there in a half-stupor. "I still don't understand…Gen-chan…"

"I ain't all that good at explainin' things… 'Chiri's more th' one fer 'at job," He gave another tug. "Either him or Chiriko…an' don' call me that!" he yelled, letting go as he did so.

Who in the world was 'Chiri?' Who was 'Chiriko?' Why in the world was this happening to her? Her eyes began to water in her frustration as she asked again, "Who…?"

Tasuki sighed in apparent aggravation at her inability to grasp the situation. "Yer a pain, know that?" They would have to hurry up and find the others; better one of them to explain it than he.

A smell caught his sensitive dog-nose. Leaping forward, he called over his shoulder, "Well, c'mon! Ya wanna get some answers, or what?"

"W-Wait for me!" Chihiro stood and quickly followed Tasuki as he began trotting back to the mansion, allowing himself to go slowly so she could see him, occasionally sniffing the air to make sure he was on the right trail.

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** All right people! This is important, so listen up! I have decided that the first 3-4 chapters of my first fanfic, well…suck. So, I have opted to fix 'em up. It's kind of ironic that my birthday is tomorrow…. But you don't understand how it is, in fact, ironic, so…nevermind! Anyway, yeah…chapters one and two are fixed up! Only one or two more—can't really remember—to go! Ja ne!

Amaya-san

Translation notes for chapters 1 & 2:

'Okaa-san' means 'mother'. A respectful term

'Otou-san' means 'father'. A respectful term

'seishi' means 'warrior'

'Gomen nasai' means 'I'm sorry'

kansai- it's a unique accent; can't say any more.


	3. Back We Go

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yûgi, nor do I want to gain profit from writing this fanfic. The glory is Yû Watase-sama's alone. Own Chihiro, and a few other characters that will pop up later on, but that's it. Enjoy reading.

xXxXx

Chihiro panted, stopping to rest leaning on her knees. Moving around at such a grueling pace over her property was really taking it out of her. The girl's four-legged companion had chosen a pace too quick for the rich girl, unaccustomed to running. And their backyard was, needless to say, very wide. "Gen-chan…slow…down, onegai?"

Tasuki stopped once again, groaning in annoyance. "Yer backyard ain't that big! If you've lived here fer fifteen years o' yer life, how c'n ya be tired from walkin' yer own property?! Ya musta walked it a million times by now!"

"So sue me, alright?" She frowned down at him through her dark bangs, breathing still heavy. "I'm not much of a walker or runner, unlike some people!" She added as they resumed their now-short trek to the house, glaring back at her dog, which glared back just as angrily.

"I don' care about yer…" The canine made an irritated sound under his breath. "Eh, forget it; yer a waste o' breath!"

"Go ahead and say it. I dare you to!" Chihiro hissed, her hands clenching into fists as she waited for his comeback. Right now, she just about had enough of his lip.

"Awright, I'll say it again; yer a waste o' breath…. I dunno why I got picked t'come here— as a frickin' dog—t'bring back some stupid girl…" As he rambled on, Chihiro was moving up behind him for an ambush. "I don' even know why I bother—Ah! Finally; the driveway! It's about damned time!"

He bent over to sniff once more, just avoiding the dive-tackle that the girl had planned on doing. His ears twitched hearing a thud in the grass just a few inches in front of him, causing him to look up. Seeing his master sprawled out on her stomach a yard or so before him, he frowned. "What th'hell're ya doin', layin' around on th' ground for? We got ourselves some friends ta find, an' you'd rather roll around in th' grass like an animal!" He shook his head. "Yep, women are stupid—HEY!"

He had been hit smack in the face with a wad of grass. Chihiro stood up, dusting off her hands. "I got sick of hearing you diss me so much. Mind shutting up, please?" A tired sigh. "I am starting to hate my own dog! I liked it better when you couldn't talk!" She stuck her tongue out at him, folding her arms.

Tasuki snorted. "Well, just fer th' record, I ain't too fond of you either! Guess we're even!" In a huff, he turned to go inside, pausing after a few steps and looked over his shoulder. "You comin' or what?"

Her anger having faded after that comment, she simply nodded, gripping her right arm tightly with her left as she picked up her pace. She walked passed him, not making eye contact. He frowned thoughtfully and continued their walk.

Well…so much for having a reliable friend. Now that all this weird stuff was happening, things would be different. And only now she found out that her pet had a great amount of dislike towards her. This had been…unexpected. Guess that kind of luck would follow her everywhere she went. 'Looks like I don't have any friends after all…'

At last, when they had reached the front door, Tasuki stopped, waiting for her to open it out of habit since he was incapable of such an action. She automatically stepped forward to open it but before she even touched the knob, the dog spoke up.

"Look…sorry 'bout what I said earlier." He forced out the apology, eyes drifted to the cement on their front porch as he continued. "Don' get the idea that I'm gonna go easy on ya for anythin', though…"

Chihiro looked down at him, reasonably confused. Moments before, she was sure he had said that he…that he didn't care for her at all. Now he was recalling those words? She nodded acceptingly, opening the door and stepped in after Tasuki. Closing the furnished door behind them, and standing in the foyer, she looked down. "What exactly are we looking for?"

"We're lookin' fer a certain room on th'first floor; th'one that smells like paper n' ink…" he said matter-of-factly, like he expected her to know exactly what he was talking about. Chihiro puzzled the thought; she couldn't think of any room that fit the description at all. Tasuki must have sensed this. "When I was a dumb mutt, I got scolded fer enterin' that particular room…"

"The study!" Chihiro proclaimed, smacking her fist into her open palm, eyes beaming with excitement. But then, slowly, it faded away. "Actually, Gen-chan, we both were scolded at for going in. I'm not allowed either, unless Okaa-san or Otou-san is with me…"

The dog shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, who has t'know if we go in jus' this once, ne?" He began strolling forward, only to have his collar grabbed, choking him. "What's th' big idea!"

"I don't even know _why_ we have to go in there to begin with, but we can't! One of the servants could see us enter and then call my parents…and I would get grounded for the rest of the summer! As for you, I'm not sure what they'd do to—"

"They don' know I'm a talkin' dog, bakero!" Her dog added with a smirk. "They think I'm just a dumb mutt like all th' others; they won't do nothin'. An' besides," he pointed out, "Th' longer we stand 'ere talkin' about it, th' easier it'll be fer us t' get caught…"

She considered his logic, fingers slowly easing off from around his collar. "Alright, but let's hurry…"

xXxXx

Quietly, she opened the sliding door for them and once they were inside, after doing a quick look-around, Tasuki slid it shut with a light kick from his hind leg. Chihiro quickly locked it, letting out a nervous sigh as she leaned back against the door. Tasuki, meanwhile, was busy sniffing the air in the room, mumbling, "Where is it? Where th'hell is it? It's gotta be here somewhere…"

The dark-haired girl looked down at him once she had regained control over her emotions. But even so, her heart was still pounding. "Where's what, Gen-chan?"

"It's a certain kinda book…don' call me that! Anyways, we need t' find it if we're gonna find th' rest of 'em…"

"What's the book called?" She asked, going to one of the shelves.

"'Shijin Tenchi Sho,'" Tasuki replied, his voice hushing almost to a whisper while talking of the ancient relic.

A nod. "Shijin Tenchi Sho… Shijin Tenchi Sho…" she crept alongside the bookcase shelves, running her finger over the spines of many tattered, and good conditioned books. A question that floated across her consciousness was how he knew it would be here anyway? That would be best logged away for later; she didn't want another argument to break out between them while they were sneaking around like this. "'Shijin Tench—Here!" Chihiro pulled it off the shelf and held it down to her four-legged friend. "Is this it?"

He sniffed the offered red book, edges frayed and almost brown. Worn kanji written in black on the ragged cover gave its title. "Yup, that's th' one, I'm sure of it! Let's go!" he yipped enthusiastically.

She blinked. Go? "Go where?" She inquired, sweatdropping. "Gen-chan, I can't drive yet, and…"

The orange dog promptly fell over with a dull thud. "Inside th' friggin' book, o' course! Where else?"

'Where else, indeed…' Chihiro thought, shoulders slumping gloomily. "Gen-chan—"

"DON' CALL ME THAT!!" He barked angrily, making her immediately clamp his muzzle shut with both hands, face nearly white with panic.

"Are you insane?" she shushed him harshly. "If one of the servants hears you—"

He pulled free from her grasp. "I don' give a shit if they do!" he shot back sharply. "Our business is in th' book anyways, so let's go in already!"

"B-but, I don't know how…how we…would…" she stammered.

He felt like banging his head into the side of one of the wooden bookcases at that moment. "Kid, yer depressin' me! Open it an' the rest'll happen from here."

Arching an eyebrow, she wordlessly complied, opening it to the first page and began to read: "**'Herein contains the tale of a young lady and her quest to gather the seven Constellations of Suzaku together.'**" A light of recognition ignited in her bright irises. "Wait! That was the name of that guy!" But how was that? 'Curiouser and curiouser…'

"Keep readin'!" Tasuki scraped the floor with his front paw anxiously, eyes tense and glittering as he stared up into hers. Nodding, she directed her gaze back to the book.

"'**And if you, the esteemed reader, should read to the story's end, the spell contained within this book shall bestow upon you the powers of the heroine, and grant you your wish.'**" A shudder traced itself up and down her spine, making her suck in a quick breath. "Gen-chan, this is really starting to freak me out…"

"Ugh, dammit…" He sighed, lowering and shaking his head a momet before lifting it suddenly to glare up into her face. "For th' love a Suzaku, keep readin' for cryin' out loud!"

She wrinkled her nose at his expletive, but did as he commanded. "**'For indeed the moment this page is turned, the story will become reality.'**" She left out a sigh, fingers shakily grasping the ripped page, yellowed from its many years of existence, and obvious use. "Well, I turn the page, then?" A strong nod was her response. "A-Alright…" She turned the page, not expecting anything to happen; thinking that this whole crazy thing with her dog talking and this dumb book was a dream, and that she would wake up in an instant.

She didn't.

At that moment, a strong light exploded from the book, enveloping and blinding her in bright crimson as she dropped it to shield her eyes. She screamed, closing her eyes. "Gen-chan, what's happening!"

He put a paw out and touched her leg just as she was beginning to be absorbed. "We're goin' back; t' my world." And that was the last thing she heard before blacking out. The book's light sucked them both within its bindings and lay opened up to the second page.

The story was just beginning!

xXxXx

Chihiro opened her lime-green eyes to find herself staring up at a bright blue sky. She blinked, not sure of where she was. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she let out a small yawn, stretched, and searched her surroundings. And nearly had a heart attack.

She was sitting upright in a forest clearing that was unfamiliar, and Genrou was nowhere to be seen.

But…but…they had just been in the study at her home, in Kyoto! The rich girl didn't remember going outside afterwards…

"G-Gen-chan?" she whispered, looking around anxiously for her friend, voice quivering. "Gen-chan?" She asked a little louder. "Where are you? Please answer me!" Nothing. She curled up, pulling her knees to her chest. Now what? "I don't know where to go…" She was lost. But Chihiro still could have sworn that they were just in the study, looking at the stupid book at her dog's suggestion…

"That's it!" They had to be inside the book! No matter how odd it sounded, it made perfect sense. Why nothing looked familiar to her, why the sky was so much clearer and beautiful than she remembered seeing back home…

Chihiro soon jumped at a sound behind her in the bushes, getting up to investigate and see if it was her pet. "Genrou?" She prayed fearfully that it was he. Pulling the leafy branches apart, she bent down, peering cautiously into the shrub. "Gen-chan, are you in here—?"

A small, nimble shadow jumped out at her. "Yo, what's up?"

She fell backwards, screaming for the fifth time that day. "Another talking animal!" The girl from another world covered her ears, not wanting to hear anymore of its words. "They're all talking to me!! This is so creepy, and weird, and…and…scary!!!" Yep. Her brain-housing group had moved out. She was now clearly insane. "GEN-CHAN, WHERE ARE YOU?" she cried out in desperation, digging her fingers through her dark hair and clutching both sides of her head, shaking. If this was a dream, she wanted to be woken up. Now!

"I'm not scary!" The animal replied after her first initial scream, offended, but then its eyes rounded in astonishment as it too fell over. "SHE CAN UNDERSTAND ME!!"

It was then that something else came bounding into the clearing on four powerful legs. It was tall and very strongly built, its long dark mane flowing down its neck and tail streaming behind it, looking almost majestic; quite a contrast to the shorter, hairy thing that was able to balance on two of its own feet. The bigger animal stopped, snorting due to having just run a great way.

"You, your clothes are not like that of Konan garbs." The large, yet gentle eyes widened as a velvety voice faltered, though it managed to hold on to its eloquence and elegance. "C-could it possibly be that you are the one, the Priestess of Suzaku we all have been waiting for?"

"Who?" Chihiro exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Saru! Just leave me alone!"

"Chihiro!" A familiar voice called, out as an orange blur flew out of the nearby trees and leapt in front of her, baring his teeth at the newcomers and his throat rumbling in a deep growl. The larger animal pawed the ground with its hoof in nervous swipes, tossing its head to the side to rid its vision of the long strands of hair growing from its mane, while the other trembled, slowly backing into the bushes.

The stallion's eyes widened with surprise and…recognition? "Tasuki? Is that truly you?"

"How d'ya know me?" He snarled ominously, showing his fangs and flattening his ears to his head.

As the horse cocked its head, Chihiro thought that she could almost see…a smile? "Come now, Tasuki of the Suzaku sichi seishi; you would forget the voice of your brother so easily?"

The dog's eyes rounded, ears perking back up to their normal upright position on his head as he gazed at the animal with chestnut main and tail before him. "H-Hotohori-sama?"

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** OOOHHH, cliffhanger! Konnichi wa, this was originally my first author's note before I decided to revamp, and thankies for all the nice reviews so far! They are greatly appreciated! (huggles reviews) No, don't worry! I'm not gonna leave ya high an' dry, 'course I'll be continuing, but… YOU MUST MAKE ME FEEL LOVED AND APPRECIATED FOR ME TO CARRY ON! I AM EVIL, MUWAHAHAHA! (Coughs) Just kidding. But more reviews would be nice…

(Chichiri walks in)

'Chiri: Oh, konnichiwa, Amaya-san no d-MMPH! (Authoress clamps hand over his mouth)

A: What are you doing here, Chichiri-san? You're not supposed to come in yet!

Tasuki: Yea, cute bishounen only, pal! (Thumbs for him to leave)

A: (frowns agitatedly) 'Chiri-san's cute! Insult him again and I'll make something nasty happen to you in the next chappie!

T: Eep…

'Chiri: (blushes) Daaa…

A: You're welcome, Chichiri-sama, no need to thank me! (Thumps him on the back) Wells, gotta go, okay? And remember, R&R, okyes? Jaa ne! (Vanishes)

Translation notes:

'onegai' means 'please'

Of course, 'Shijin Tenchi Sho' is 'The Universe of the Four Gods'

'bakero' means 'stupid'

'Suzaku sichi seishi' translates to literally, 'Suzaku seven warriors'

'saru' means 'go away'


	4. Meet the Mage

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yûgi in anyway, or plan to gain profit from writing this. Yû Watase-sama was kind enough to let a fanfic author like me borrow her characters for my stuff, so all thanks and glory must go to the wonderful manga-ka herself! Okay, now, on with the story!

xXxXx

There was just no way… How could something like this even be possible? Tasuki blinked. "H-Hotohori-sama? 'At you?"

"It is none other." The stallion replied with a kind, regal voice. Chihiro was still sitting where she had fallen, staring in awe. This was definitely some strange dream, if it still was a dream, that is. She timidly stood up and took a step towards the horse. He turned in her direction. "You needn't be afraid, child, I will not harm you." She reached out and touched his wide neck, gently stroking the fur.

"Hotohori-sama, isn't it?" she asked timidly.

He chuckled, "Everyone addresses me as such, yes…" A pause. "Well…not so much anymore, I'm afraid. But you may just refer to me as 'Hotohori.'"

"All right, Hotohori," Her cheeks flushed in the awkwardness of it all.

His golden eyes shimmered, overflowing with kindness. And his voice was so gentle and soft. It easily removed any uneasiness that had built up in the last few moments. "And I believe your name was Chihiro, am I not right?"

"No, that's right, Hotohori." If she thought talking to her dog was worse, she had guessed wrong, even if the stallion did have a pleasant-sounding voice. 'I'll probably need to talk to a psychiatrist when I get home,' she thought, 'No one in school will ever talk to me now, at this rate…'

"Chihiro, what's th' matter with ya?" She felt something nuzzling her leg with a wet nose and looked down to see Genrou staring back up at her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine; really. But, wasn't there another animal?"

"Oh yeah, I fergot 'bout that." Tasuki sniffed the wind before turning to a certain tree and barking once. "Alright, I know yer up there. C'mon down."

There was a rustling of the branches before a black and slightly white thing plopped down on Tasuki's fiery orange back. It waved sheepishly as both the horse and girl turned their heads to examine it curiously.

It was a small monkey, mostly black all over but it had a few white splotches of fur on either sides of its face and had peach-colored skin, with big violet eyes. Chihiro was the first to speak as it came wandering over to her slowly, climbing up her leg and onto her shoulder. "So…what's your name?" she forced herself to ask. Chihiro still couldn't believe she was talking to animals.

The monkey cast a glance at Tasuki before putting its index fingers together and tapping them against one another nervously. "T-Tamahome." It whispered, hoping the dog wouldn't hear.

It didn't work.

Tasuki threw himself back onto the grass, howling with laughter. "Ah, man! So, we finally meet up again, an' yer a friggin' primate?" Those words only gave birth to more fits of merriment.

"I don't think it's so funny…" The monkey glared down at the dog, cracking his knuckles, making Chihiro jump slightly. Hotohori turned his head; the only way for him to conceal a laugh since he had no royal sleeve to hide behind. Even with them all transformed into animals, Tasuki and Tamahome's constant bickering still had that uncanny ability to make him laugh.

Tamahome narrowed his eyes, lifting up his small fists. "I still have my abilities from before, and just in case you forgot, let me refresh your memory some!" He jumped off Chihiro's shoulder aiming a kick, only to be grabbed by the tail, resulting in him being dangled upside-down. Looking up, he saw the girl shake her head.

"You aren't going to hurt each other now; this is important!" Her green eyes shifted over to the wolfish-looking dog, who was still trying to contain his laughter. "Gen-chan said that we have to find the others, and—"

"Whoa, whoa, wait; 'Gen-chan'?" All four were quiet for a moment following his statement. "Oh. Dear. Suzaku…that's rich!" Tama dangled from his flexible tail, laughing his heart out and gripping his stomach.

Hotohori shook his head despairingly. 'No. They have not changed at all…'

Tasuki growled, exposing his teeth. "So, y'think that's funny, do ya? Let's see how funny ya think it is after I sink m'fangs inta yer head an'—"

"Gen-chan! Stop it!" Chihiro scolded. "If these are your friends, I'm shocked that you're acting like this! I'm starting to think I'm losing it, being around a bunch of talking animals, only _after_ being sucked into this crazy book world, and ending up in this forest and all this weird stuff, and now I realize I'm rambling, and I apologize for it, but—"

"Oh, no need to apologize."

Hotohori's ears twitched. "Who said that?"

"I dunno…" Tasuki backed up to Chihiro, glancing around nervously. Tamahome had long since sobered up and hopped on top of her head, looking around. Hotohori looked to her out the corner of his eye. "Chihiro, perhaps you should climb on my back, in case we shall need to make a quick escape."

"Uh, but I…" She had never really liked riding horses that much, but when she did, she'd always had a saddle and reins. But…riding bareback and with nothing to hold onto? She couldn't do it. She just couldn't find the courage to go through with it. She wasn't even sure if she could pull herself up without the use of a saddle stirrup. "Hotohori, I—"

"Weeell ain't that a fine piece over there."

Chihiro turned to the source of the voice and found two men riding on horses, their's having reins and saddles, along with many bundles neatly secured on the backs of their two mares by ropes. The one that had spoken turned to his companion, thumbing at Chihiro and grinning. The other smirked back and got off his horse, undoing a long strand of cords that dangled from the saddle. Tasuki let out a small growl as they approached. Hotohori nuzzled her with his nose. "Chihiro, climb on now."

She turned to him and whispered. "Hotohori, I can't; I've never—"

"She may be a bit loony," said the taller of the two, "And she's got on some odd clothing, but she'll make a good slave, eh? Now, come with us, sweety, an' we'll get'cha some help…"

"Fat chance!" Tasuki barked, his shoulders tensing.

The men glanced down at him a moment, their faces blank. "Sweety, if you're going out alone, y'should take a full-grown dog an' not some little mutt." They continued to advance.

Tasuki's eyes rounded slightly. "They don'…understand me?"

"Come along with us, dear." One reached out to take her hand, though she pressed herself against the horse to avoid it. The stallion stomped his hoof angrily in the man's direction, his ears bending backwards slightly. The man stepped back, startled, but a bemused smile soon appeared over it. "'Ey, y'see this, mate? An over-protective horse!"

"I sure did!" Laughed the other, "But we don' have time for this. Jus'tie her upand we'll go. They're all jus' dumb animals, they dunno nothin'."

"I already knew that!" He reached out and snatched her by the wrist. "Now let's go, before I lose my patience." He gave a sharp tug, almost making her lose her balance. Chihiro gave a small startled squeak.

"N-no, I don't want to! Please; let go! Please don't hurt me—"

"Shut up an' come on!" He raised his hand to smack her and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the blow, only to feel her hand be released as the man cried out in pain. Opening her eyes, she saw Tasuki clamped onto the guy's leg by his teeth and snarling. Tamahome had leapt off her shoulder, biting the man's lower arm.

The girl stumbled backwards, frightened out of her mind; the first stranger was coming to the other's aid. She felt something lightly tug her shirttail, and turning, she saw the stallion. "Chihiro, please climb on so that no other harm may come to you!"

"B-but what about Gen-chan and Tamahome? We can't just leave them—"

"Do not fret, they can handle themselves." At his words, she heard the second slave-trader yell out as Tasuki bit into his leg harder. He bent to strike him off, but Tasuki let go and began using his ability, running to a different place each time the man raised his hand to strike. Tamahome wasn't doing to bad either, nailing the other guy with his small fists and hand-like feet, being a monkey; but the results still were the same, breaking open the man's nose with blood.

Chihiro took a deep breath before trying to climb on. She jumped up once, but fell on her backside on the ground. "You must try again, Chihiro; quickly!" The stallion urged anxiously. She picked herself up and leapt up again, this time managing to stay on longer, but couldn't swing her leg over. Hotohori gave her a small push with his head and she used the shove to loop her leg around his middle.

She turned her head to call to her dog and the monkey. "Gen-chan! Tamahome!" Both stopped what they were doing and ran towards her as Hotohori started in a trot, slowly moving into a canter; Tama grasping Tasuki's collar as he hopped on the dog's back and Tasuki sped to catch up. His 'wing' symbol blazed on his front right leg.

The two men looked to each other in astonishment before running to their horses and riding after them. They were bent on capturing that girl in the strange clothes.

xXxXx

Chihiro glanced over her shoulder to see that they weren't being followed. Not yet, anyway. Casting a quick glance down at the ground, she saw Tasuki was really trucking to keep up with Hotohori, Tamahome clinging to his collar for dear life. That's what she was doing the horse; hands looped around the animal's neck like there was no tomorrow.

"Over here in the bushes; hurry!" A voice called out off the side of the road.

None of them had time to wonder or even care who it was. They dashed off the path and into the woods; Hotohori leaping over the shrubs to avoid leaving a trail while Tasuki and Tamahome crawled under. Chihiro fought not to scream as she experienced a brief moment of weightless ness before he landed again. She hurriedly climbed off and got down on her stomach, the other animals doing the same. All sat there quietly and waited as the sound of approaching hooves neared and passed just as quickly as they'd come.

"Thank goodness!" Chihiro whispered, leaning against a tree and putting a hand to her heart and closing her eyes. She had never been so scared in her life! All she wanted to do was go home where it was safe. But then, she guessed that would be next to impossible now. Why was she even here to begin with?

Something crawled onto her lap, rubbing against her arm and distracted her. Out of habit, the girl from another world stroked the soft fur. "I'm fine, Gen-chan. You don't have to worry about me…"

"Eh, Chihiro, I'm over here…" Her dog's voice spoke across from her. She opened her eyes, staring into the face of another animal. "Wh-who are…?"

"My name's Chichiri na no da! You must be the Suzaku no miko, am I right?"

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** Konnichiwa minna! Well, whadda ya think? Sorry for making it so long, but we all know how I like to ramble, so I'm going to do that now! lol I hope you all like my ficcie so far (huggles fic) It's me pride n' joy, being my first one, n' me luves it! Almost as much as I love Tasuki! (Cuddles him and purrs; he sweatdrops uneasily)

(Amaya-san snaps her fingers) Second matter of business, I was swamped with homework and I couldn't post the weekend before! (Ducks as shoe is thrown at her) I said I was sorry! What do ya want me to do, grovel n' kiss your feet? (Gets smacked in the face by another object; she grabs it and chucks it back) I am not gonna take any flames for this…

(Calms down and raises hands happily) Yes yes, I brought 'Chiri in, happy now? (sweatdrops as a bunch of 'Chiri fangirls nod vigorously and start 'no da'ing intermittently, making peace signs) Oki then, yeah…

(Tasuki walks in)

Tas: Sure, y'brought 'em in, but what th' hellis 'e?

'Chiri: (smiles of-so-cutely) That's gonna have to wait until Amaya-san posts chapter five, na no da!

A: (giggles) Well, at least _someone_ liked it! (huggles 'Chiri appreciatively) ((Hey, he practically wears an invisible sign that reads 'Hug me', so I figure, why not? Hehe!))

(Hotohori strolls in)

Hoto: Amaya-san, I'm thrilled that you have portrayed me as a majestic stallion. (Smiles and sparkles)

A: Mmmmm…he sparkled for me; I feel honored! (huggles him)

Tas: (glares) Oi, 'xactly whose fangirl are ya?

A: Awww…Tasuki-wasuki jealous?

Tas: (folds arms and pouts…then glares) Wha'd you just call me…!

A: Naw, I still luvs you too! (glomps, ignoring him; he tries to get away and fights to breath at the same time)

'Chiri: (sweatdrops) Daaa…

Hoto: (ahem) Yes, well, it suits me quite well, only…how am I going to admire my gorgeous face without being able to hold a mirror?

A: (sweatdrops) Uhm…looking at your reflection?

Hoto: But it just isn't the same… (Tragic sigh; is suddenly glomped by Nuriko)

Nuri: (swoons) Oh, Hotohori-sama, you're always beautiful to me! (Cuddles his arm)

A: Heheh… (Blink) Oh shoot! Nuriko! I told you before not to come out here yet; you aren't even in the story as of now! No one listens to me!

Nuri: I'm sorry, Amaya-san, but, well… (Giggles) My fangirls and boys were cheering for me to make an appearance, so I did! (Snuggles Hotohori some more)

(Authoress and seishi sweatdrop, heika looks ill)

A: Well, I gotta go, so until chappie 5, jaa ne! (Does peace sign and vanishes)

Tas: Y'can't leave us here wit' Nuriko on th' loose!

Nuri: Hmmm, Tasuki-chan, I just noticed now how kawaii you are when you're afraid! (Bats eyelashes at him flirtatiously)

'Chiri: (pales along with the bandit) Daa…I'll just be going now, no da! (Pop!)

Tas: Y'damn monk! So much fer friendship! (Screams and runs away flailing his arms as Nuriko chases after him giggling)


	5. To the Old Bat's Place

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi or any of the characters; nor am I making profit from this lil' story, but Chihiro _does_ belongs to me. You take her; you're STEALING! lol jk Also, for now I have it rated PG-13 for later content, and for a certain bandit's swearing, but I'm not sure if it shall stay that way…Btw, if the characters act weird, it's because of their animal nature, okay? Enjoy the ficcie, all!

xXxXx

Chihiro blinked. "Chi-chi-ri?" she re-stated his name, stressing each syllable.

"That's right no da," responded a cream-colored feline, leaping onto her shoulder to get a better look at his miko. Chihiro giggled; she'd never had a cat before. His fur was very soft and tickled her cheek. As he studied her, she did the same to him. A comb of hair stuck straight up on his head, defying the force of gravity as his mahogany, almond-shaped eyes looked into her lime-colored ones.

"Thank you so much for helping us back there, Chichiri," she began, reaching up to scratch his creamy neck.

"Don't mention it no - Oh that feels good no da!" He bent his head and leaned into her hand, making her giggle. She felt a vibration in his throat, assumed it to be a quiet purr, and she smiled even more. Cats really weren't as bad as she thought, but then again, this was a talking one.

"My name's Chihiro, and this is-"

An orange blur knocked the cat off her shoulder and pinned him to the ground. Tasuki's tail wagged excitedly. "'CHIRI! Took ya friggin' long t' get here! S'up!"

The cat sweatdropped; he looked visibly nervous as he fidgeted to free himself from the fiery puppy. "G-great, Tasuki-kun no da. Would you, uh, mind getting off of me now?"

The puppy cocked his head, narrowing his amber eyes. "What's yer problem?"

"I just... don't like dogs... no da."

The cat leapt up onto Chihiro's shoulder again. Tasuki's face looked completely blank. Chihiro pondered for a second. "That's it!" she exclaimed, making all four animals jump. "Chichiri, you're a cat, and Gen - er, Tasuki's a dog! Cats and dogs don't like each other! That's why you're so paranoid, isn't it?"

"I've had bad run-ins with dogs in this form no da," Chichiri confirmed, walking across the back of her shoulders and hopping on her head. "I know Tasuki-kun wouldn't hurt me, but it's my cat instinct, I suppose no da."

"It is nice to see you again, Chichiri," Hotohori spoke up, standing from where he sat in the grass.

The cat jumped off the girl's shoulder and did a "bow," if you will, to the horse; then he straightened up. "Hotohori-sama, it's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"That it has." The horse nodded, flicking his head to the side to clear his vision from the strands of chestnut mane that were sliding into his eyes.

Chihiro smiled, standing up and brushing off her clothes. She suddenly straightened, looking around. "Where is Tamahome?"

Tasuki looked around the forest scene quickly, then shrugged. "I dunno where monkey-boy went."

The tree branches rustled and a head stuck out from the leaves. "'Monkey- boy' is up here," he glared. His expression changed dramatically when he looked towards Chihiro, as his face broke into a reassuring smile. "The guys that were following us are farther away now. But all the same, we should move away from here carefully... hey, Chichiri!"

The cat smiled up at him in greeting. "Hello yourself, Tamahome-kun no da." He turned to the other three. "Well, ready to go no da?"

The others stared back at him and then at each other, a silent question in their eyes. "Go where, might I ask?" Hotohori ventured.

Chichiri stood up, trotting over to the bushes on the opposite side of the group and retrieved a very familiar item.

"Y'still got yer kasa? Awright!" Tasuki cheered, trotting over and causing Chichiri to look squeamish.

Tamahome arched an eyebrow, releasing his grip on the branch and lightly landing on Hotohori's back. "So, we're traveling through your kasa, Chichiri? Where to?"

"Um...excuse me?" Everyone turned to see Chihiro, her hands clasped before her chest nervously, an apprehensive glimmer in her lime-colored orbs. "Exactly where are you going to take us and how?"

Chichiri gave her a puzzled look, but remembered that she was from another world. "I'm taking you all to Mt. Taikyoku no da. Hop in!" He held the hat out in his mouth, casting a glance at Tamahome. The monkey seemed to sense what his friend wanted and obligingly hopped in. Chihiro looked like she might go into shock as she watched him disappear.

Tasuki tugged at her jeans. "C'mon, it ain't gonna kill ya! Look!" He stuck his paw in and withdrew it. "Now quit bein' a sissy n' jump in!" And with that, into the hat he went.

"Hotohori-sama, you're next no da." The horse trotted over, bowing his head so that once his nose entered, he too was drawn in, gasping slightly at how quickly he vanished.

"Chihiro," Chichiri momentarily put the hat down. "Jump in, please no da? Nothing's going to happen to you. Trust me on that no da." He held it out again.

"O-okay..." She reached inside, yelping as it sucked her in. Chichiri went through afterwards, the kasa disappearing with a popping sound.

xXxXx

"Welcome, priestess of Suzaku!" A small girl with her green hair done up in odangos floated up to Chihiro, hugging her tightly. "I'm Nyan-Nyan! I'll fix! I'll cure anything! Does something need fixing?"

She blinked. "Um, I..." Chihiro's body began to tremble. "I...I..." She broke free from Nyan-Nyan, running behind Hotohori. "SH-SHE'S FLYING! WHAT'S GOING ON! WHAT IS WITH THIS FREAKY PLACE!"

"You are very noisy, aren't you?"

Chihiro froze, looking around as the croaking voice echoed around the room. "Wh-who said that?" She glanced down. "Chichiri, you've been here before, right? Do you know who.?"

The cat nodded, lifting his one paw from the ground. "Sure! That's none other than-"

"THE OL' WITCH!" Tasuki cried, falling over as the Oracle popped up behind him. "DAMMIT, DON' DO THAT, YA OLD HAG! I BET'CHA LIKE SEEIN' ME FREAK OUT LIKE THIS, DONCHA-"

"WILL YOU BE QUIET!" The empress of the heavens was soon towering over all of them, her beady eyes focused on one individual in particular.

"AAAAAAH!" Tasuki groveled on the ground. "I'm sorry I'm sorry! I won' do it again! Don' kill me!"

"I wasn't going to kill you, fool!" an old woman in extreme need of a face- lift glared at the prostrated seishi, one eyebrow twitching visibly.

"...Taiitsukun no da." Chichiri finished, sweatdropping along with the others.

xXxXx

"Taiitsukun," Tamahome began once they were all comfortably situated in one of the mountain's many lavish room, "why were we reborn as animals? Do you know?"

The old one's beady eyes closed. "Well, I do know why..." The others looked at her with excited anticipation. "It is because of your god - Suzaku - that you are like this..."

"I figgered that, y'old hag! I wanna know why we're like this!" Tasuki barked. He didn't notice the Oracle's brow twitching. "I'm a dog fer cryin' out loud! How sad is that! An' 'Chiri here..." He nodded towards the cat, who lifted his head at the mention of his name.

"Da?"

"He's a cat! Hotohori's a horse n' Tama's a friggin' monkey! A monkey! That's real sad, though it don' make that much difference when it comes t' Obake-chan..."

"I don't think it's that bad..." Tamahome muttered, contemplating killing Tasuki for the remark.

"What th' hell's Suzaku thinkin'! I mean, c'mon, it wasn't like animals were th' only thing he could bring us back t'life as, is it? I wanna know! Why're ya jus' sittin' there? Hey, grandma! Ain'cha gonna tell us why-"

"I WOULD, EXCEPT THAT SOMEONE KEEPS INTERRUPTING ME!" she screeched, immediately sending Tasuki to cower behind Chichiri.

The cat sweatdropped, "You really shouldn't call her that, Tasuki-kun. Haven't you learned that from your passed life na no da?"

"Please, Taiitsukun," Chihiro spoke up, bowing respectfully. "Can you please finish what you were about to say?"

She sighed, trying to regain herself after the outburst. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted." she glared once more at Tasuki before turning back to Chihiro. "As discouraging as it is for me to tell you all this, it was Suzaku's hand that reincarnated you as animals, but that isn't the depressing part. The truth is," she sighed, closing her eyes, "he was just curious as to what you would all look like as animals."

Hotohori blinked. "That is...why I am a horse? He was curious...?"

Taiitsukun nodded. "Yes, that is the reason."

The entire group face-vaulted.

"Well, he did a good job with Chichiri," Tamahome remarked once everyone had regained their feet (or paws, as was the case). "When he was a human and wore that mask, he already looked like a ca - OW!"

A spear had suddenly fallen over, knocking Tamahome on the head. Rubbing at a small bump that began to form, he turned to glare at the culprit. Chichiri sat, staring up at the ceiling and trying looking innocent. "No da."

Chihiro giggled softly. "So, um…" Once gaining the old one's attention, she continued. "Taiitsukun, what is it I was called here to do, exactly? Could you...?"

"I was getting to that. Chihiro, your job - being the priestess of Suzaku - is to go around and gather the rest of your warriors. The four with you shall assist you in any way that they can, mostly to protect you. The reason we are in need of a priestess is that the country is in danger from a new source that I can't seem to locate. It's here; I know that much, but I can't pinpoint it to any one place. You and your seishi shall have to find it and fight it alone, since I am not permitted to interfere."

"How...how am I going to...?"

"I will show you. All of you follow me." She turned; floating in mid-air and slowly began levitating out of the room. After looking back and forth between her animal friends, Chihiro inhaled nervously, stepping quickly to keep up with the Oracle. The animals filed in behind her, Hotohori first, with Tasuki slipping around his legs to catch up to Chihiro. Chichiri followed, listening to Tamahome grumbling about his headache the whole way and unable to keep a tiny smile off his feline face.

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** DAAA! Another chappie is finally up no da! lol Gomen, couldn't help myself. And also, I have been bogged down with homework for three weeks on end, THREE FRICKIN' WEEKS! That means no pleasure time for myself to do what I want! Which, ultimately, is completely _UNFAIR_! I hope that no one's given up on the fic because of this…At least, I hope not!

**_Special Thanks:_** I want to take this time to thank a few dear friends of mine. First, I would like to say, "Domo arigatou", to Dee-chan. She's my newly appointed beta, and if not for her, the grammatical crap that happens whenever I post would still be continuing! So, thankies bunches, Dee-chan::huggles: Secondly, I would like to thank my other dear friend, Rika-chan. Every night, Rika and I role-play on IM and that helps keep me "in character", if you will, for when I feel inspired to write from some of the ideas I get from our lil' chats, so, arigatou, Rika-chan::huggles: And, last but not least, my other friend, KittyLynne-senpai; whose always written to me by email, besides already reviewing to tell me how she likes my ficcie so far and gives me advice, just like Rika-chan n' Dee-chan here do. Furthermore, like Dee-chan and Rika-chan, she is a hell of a good writer! If not for these guys, I would be without encouragement and not be able to write, so DOMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU::huggles them all tightly:

**_Something new:_** Hey! Uhm…this may be stupid, but I'll give it a shot. If anything in the fic confuses ya, review and make sure to keep the question apart from the rest of the review so's I can answer them in the next time I post under this section. It might just be me, but sometimes a lotta you guys have questions and ya want answers. Now, if you ask about developments in the stories, I might not answer; though if I'm in a particularly good mood, I might "mess with you" a bit and get you to think something else and then turn it around on you like a "slap in the face" so to speak. So, don't trust me if you have that kind of question no da::pictures that reviewers are going 'Glad she ain't Chichiri!; we'd never be able to trust her!': lol Remember, make it noticeable so I know and don't answer the wrong thing! Jaa!


	6. Visions

Editor's Note: A hundred thousand apologies, O Readers, for this extremely tardy chapter. The esteemed authoress would have had it out a long, long time ago, but I'm a pathetic and slow little beta. No excuses - not even sports, plays, sickness and homework - are good enough for one so lowly as myself. I shall now go hang my head in shame. :Hangs head in shame:

And now, on with the show.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't yell, and don't sue.

xXxXx

"My! What a gorgeous room!" Chihiro gasped, excitedly glancing this way and that as the aged oracle led them into a vastly decorated room. It was fairly large and had a deep green - almost black - carpet spread out across the center of the floor. Looking down at the floor, she noticed that there were designs of all the constellations stitched intricately into the carpet with white thread. All twenty-eight constellations seemed to orbit around a humungous sphere in the center, but the ball itself was multi-colored: red in one area around the lower part, green at the top, on the right a pale blue, and on the left an ivory white. All the colors seemed to fade into a pure white as they mixed in the center.

Chihiro studied the design curiously, looking up when she heard the croaking voice address her. "Hm?"

"Come here," the old woman repeated, looking into a corner with her hands cupped together underneath her flowing sleeves. Chihiro did as she was told, looking back at her four animal friends as she began walking swiftly across the sphere, noting with little interest that she stepped through the red thread and into the orb as she did. Once at the Oracle's side, she waited patiently for what she wanted. She looked down at her with her beady eyes. "Chihiro, please, take a look at this tapestry, here on the wall."

"Okay…" she agreed, complying with the deity's wish. The tapestry was beautiful; wonderful craftsmanship if she ever saw it. It was mostly a blue-black tile, but, like the carpet, it had constellations, only they were red. 'Again with the red…' she thought to herself, still looking it over. She thought she could be imagining things, but it seemed that the longer she looked at it, the brighter all of them seemed to glow. She blinked once, then her eyes widened in surprise. They really _were _glowing! "What…?"

"What's th' matter, Chihiro?" Tasuki asked. She could hear the sound of his canine nails scraping against the floor as he strode over. She bent down, picking him up so he could see the tiles better. He fidgeted, thinking she was cuddling him. "Chihiro, this might'a been awright when I was brainless, but now it's feelin' kinda weird-"

"When you _were_ brainless? I didn't think you changed that much…" Tamahome snickered, knowing by the agitated glare he received that it made the former bandit angrier. And he was enjoying it thoroughly.

Chihiro blinked, closing her eyes. "I wasn't doing anything, but fine. I'll hold someone else then." She put him down, picking up the next closest animal that happened to be near her: Chichiri.

"Da?" he meowed, climbing out of her arms and onto her shoulder where he made himself comfortable.

She smiled, looking back at the work of art. 'What are those weird constellations? What do they mean?' 

"It's a map of the Suzaku constellations no da!" the cat exclaimed in his higher voice, nearly causing Chihiro to jump out of her skin.

"Th-they're what?" she paused. "Wait... Suzaku? Who's that?" 'It's the same name as that man… Why do I keep hearing it?'

"You are the priestess of the Phoenix god of love: Suzaku," Taiitsukun spoke up, her scratchy old voice quietly echoing off the walls in the large room. "This tapestry that you see before you was created in memory of the Suzaku no shichi seishi, who lived and fought for this country long ago." She pointed to the constellations as she read them, each one lighting up a brighter red when its name was called. "Chichiri. Nuriko. Tamahome. Hotohori. Mitsukake. Tasuki. Chiriko."

"'Tasuki?' 'Chichiri?' 'Hotohori?' 'Tamahome?' But…aren't…" She looked back at her animal friends, and glanced at the cat on her shoulder. "But… you said… if they existed long ago, then-"

"All of the Suzaku seven have been reborn into their chosen forms - well, somewhat chosen forms - by their beast god. It is not a mere coincidence that these animals happened to be named after them." She brought out her hands, directing them towards the middle of the room, above the sphere. The air rippled and a small gust of wind rushed passed her face as a transparent bubble appeared.

Chihiro's eyes widened - had Taiitsukun just used magic! She took a step closer, peering into the bubble curiously. Chichiri leapt soundlessly from her shoulder and landed on his feet next to Tasuki.

In the illusion, there was an image of a girl with auburn hair done up in buns, wearing a school uniform… "Just like mine was!" she gasped, watching with real interest now.

The girl ran into the arms of a man with teal-colored hair; the symbol of ogre blazed brilliantly on his forehead. They faded away to reveal a frail, slender form. She looked really pretty, with her long purple hair done back in a long braided ponytail lying gracefully over her shoulder. Then, surprisingly, she lifted a humongous beam as if it were a feather! She too faded, to focus in on a small form, sitting down on a step somewhere reading a book intently. Chihiro couldn't tell about the gender to this one; their light brown hair was done up like a girl's, but their clothes… Something about it screamed masculinity. But she didn't have time to think as that too vanished and she beheld a ringed staff. The image slowly spread out, bringing a male figure into the picture; he was grasping the staff firmly, looking as if he were chanting a mystical spell of some sort. His cyan-colored bangs seemed to defy gravity and his cloak flew wildly about him, as did a shield of energy. Next came the profile of a tall, muscular man with dark hair and colorful bandanas wrapped around his head. He lifted up his hand, and as he did so soft, green bubbles floated out of it. A streak of orange banished that vision, as a figure appeared, reaching over his shoulder and pulling out... a fan? Wait, he began to say something, winding it back like you would a baseball bat, and... And out came fire! Last but not least, a man with elegant long chestnut hair appeared, skillfully performing a series of quick sword maneuvers. Was he a samurai? Or a ninja, perhaps? No, he looked too kind to be an assassin.

All of them appeared at the end; Chihiro looked over them all quickly before it vanished, gazing the longest at the girl from the beginning. Who _was _that?

The creatures where glancing back and forth towards one another, obviously confused. When Chihiro had seen the illusion, only her eyes had seen it. To the others, she was staring into space, although Chichiri, being a sorcerer in his past life, knew it was likely that she had seen something.

"I trust you saw everything?" the oracle's voice portrayed that she knew the young girl would have questions. Chihiro turned, taking out her hair from its long ponytail and letting it fall over her shoulders. "Yes, I did. Um…Taiitsukun? I have a question... See, there was this girl in the... bubble thingy that you showed me... she had medium-length brownish-red hair, and it was up like this," she grasped the ends of her hair, pulling it up and holding them in buns on the sides of her head.

"Miaka…" Tamahome said above a whisper, lowering his eyes to the ground as he did so.

"Who!" Now she was really confused, letting her hair fall against her shoulders again. "Who's Miaka? What's wrong? Speak up somebody, please?"

The animals looked back and forth at each other for the longest time; bewildered as to how to explain. Tasuki's jaws were firmly shut, indicating that he wasn't going to say a word. Hotohori pawed the ground with a hoof uneasily as Tamahome poked his index fingers together, still seemingly quiet and deep in his thoughts. Chichiri's perplexed feline expression changed as he looked towards his new priestess. "Maybe Taiitsukun would be the best one to relay the information, no da."

Chihiro rubbed her temples. She was getting a small headache from all this suspense. "Okay, now once and for all, who is this Miaka, please, Taiitsukun?" She turned to the old woman, who closed her baggy eyes, frowning slightly.

"About time you decided to ask me. Miaka was the past priestess of Suzaku. She came into the book, fought against the odds and left to go back to her world; your world. Tamahome was human at the time - in fact, all of them once were. He ended up following Miaka into her world and marrying her…"

"But if he left this place to be with her, what's he doing back?" Chihiro interrupted.

"That was centuries ago, child. If you will let me finish, I will explain further." The Oracle opened her eyes to look straight at her. "He has been reborn, along with the others that stand before you because the universe is in chaos; on the verge of destruction, from a source of negative energy that has been accumulating around the atmosphere for quite some time now. Suzaku knew the time had come to choose another girl to be his priestess and to save this world once again, like Miaka and her seishi had done once. And that is you."

Her lime-green eyes almost refused to blink, as she stood there dumbstruck. What was with this priestess stuff? Why did it have to be she, and why now? And why was this happening? Was this some sort of fever dream that her mind had concocted from her loneliness back at home?

Taiitsukun regarded her with a seldom seen smile. "Perhaps the five of you should retire here in my palace for now, since all of you will be setting out to find the remaining warriors tomorrow, I suggest you all get plenty of rest." 

"Wait! Did you say, 'find the remaining warriors'? Where and how am I supposed to-" No good; the Oracle had vanished in a puff of smoke. Chihiro sighed. "Oh well, I am kind of tired... But how are we going to find any rooms? I've never been here—AHH!" The Nyan-Nyan had flown into her face again, causing her to fall over backwards in surprise.

"I will show you to your rooms for the night, Suzaku no miko and Suzaku seishi!" She smiled, speaking cheerfully as she floated down the corridor. The animals waited until their priestess was on her feet again before following her out of the room.

The first chamber they came to was meant for Chihiro's use. She said goodnight to her friends, shutting the door shortly after entering. Sighing aloud, she began to undress herself, undoing the buttons on her shirt when a yell interrupted her. "Geez, y'think y'coulda waited until I turned 'round, or somethin'!"

She blushed with embarrassment, forgetting that Gen-chan -er- Tasuki, wasn't a dumb mutt anymore. She slipped out of her shirt and jeans, keeping her undergarments on for the dog's sake, although his back was turned in her direction. She threw the nightgown that Nyan-Nyan had set out over her head, slipping easily into the flowing silk robes. Crawling under the covers, she put her head against the soft pillow. 'Wow! It feels like I'm sleeping on a cloud! They don't have anything this comfortable back at home.' Her thoughts paused, going back to the last word. 'Home... how long will it be before I see my parents again? Will I be stuck here forever?'

Something jumped onto her bed. She lifted her head a little to see, only to have annoyed amber eyes staring into hers. Tasuki, the owner of those bright orbs, glared back at her defiantly, making himself comfortable at the end of the bed. "What! D'ya expect me t'sleep on a cold floor?" He let his head drop on the covers.

She shook her head, laying back down and relaxing into the mattress. "Good night, Gen-chan."

"G'night... an' don' call me that!"

She giggled softly, falling into a soft slumber with her best friend close beside her.

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** YAY! Another chappie is done! Thank you soooo much for waiting so long for this! And don't abandon this just yet; this is only the beginning! It will get far more exciting! They have the other warriors to find, Nuriko, Mitsukake, and Chiriko. Plus some other people will be coming in, but I'm not saying who! Why, you might ask? The answer is simple: I. AM. EVIL! Mwahahahahhahahahaha-:coughs: Anyways, R&R, okyes? Jaa!


	7. Suprises!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to do with Fushigi Yuugi whatsoever. The only thing I do wish to hold onto is Chihiro. So, don't sue me! I'm not that rich anyway…

If you see _italics_ that means it's a dream sequence. Okay, on with the story!

xXxXx

"_Chihiro…"_

"_Hmm…?"_

_A soft voice called her name. "Chihiro."_

_She moaned. "What, I'm up, I'm up! What do you…want?" She blinked, looking around her. It was completely black. "H-hello?"_

"_Chihiro, over here." _

_She turned, the room suddenly flooded with soft pink light. The girl shaded her eyes against the brilliance. Squinting, Chihiro could make out something standing at the far end of the mysterious place. 'What is that? …Or _who_ is that?'_

"_Chihiro, Suzaku no miko; be prepared for anything that may come. Your seishi are strong and dependable guardians, but they cannot help you with your future challenges. Be brave; be strong, and never lose hope…" The voice started to fade._

"_Wait just a second! Who are you? At least tell me that much!"_

"_I will visit you again, child. I will tell you more then."_

"_B-but when will that be! And how come I have to wait for my answers? I want to know now! Don't keep me guessing! Please!"_

_The voice chuckled softly at her fretful words. "Soon. I will see you very soon."_

xXxXx

"Chihiro, wake up, please? Taiitsukun wants to talk to all of you before you leave…" Nyan-Nyan heaved a sigh of frustration. "Miaka was never this hard to wake up," she sighed, shaking the slumbering girl's shoulder again, and receiving zero response.

Resting her small hands on her hips, she frowned thoughtfully. Moments later a sly grin crossed the young girl's face as she hopped onto the bed, landing heavily on the miko's stomach and exclaiming: "Rise and shine, Chihiro!"

That did the trick. Chihiro was up in an instant, though not exactly shining, as the expression goes. Her slender brows bunched together as she let out a moan of annoyance and slight pain. "Owww…my stomach…" She opened her eyes, jumping as she saw the perky face, then relaxing back into the mattress when she realized she was in no danger from the youngster with bright green hair.

Chihiro yawned. "G'morning…" She stretched her arms out wide, closing her eyes and letting her limbs fall outstretched on both sides of her huge, fluffy pillow, attempting to get a few more winks. Nyan-Nyan wouldn't stand for that. The little girl bounced up and down, still sprawled out over the teenager's mid-section.

"Come on, Chihiro! It's nine o'clock sharp! Taiitsukun wants to send you and the seishi on your way before it gets too late in the day for you to go anywhere…"

"What! Nine o'clock already!" Chihiro shot up, quickly grabbing hold of Nyan-Nyan before she could fly off, forgetting that she _could _fly. The teen set her down on the edge of the bed, running over to a folding screen and changing into the clothes she had worn the day before. She hopped out the door soon after, still securing one of her sneakers as she went.

Giggling, the little girl followed, floating at the miko's height. "Chihiro, calm down and follow me. I know where everyone else is, silly."

"Oh. Right…" Chihiro slowed her pace and allowed the girl to lead her down unfamiliar corridors, winding twists and turns of the vast palace. Nyan-Nyan, seeming to forget that Chihiro _couldn't_ fly, was speeding off down the halls at a pace the young miko was finding very hard to match. "Oh, wait!" she finally called ahead of her. Nyan-Nyan stopped, turning around in midair to wait for Chihiro to catch up. Chihiro sped forward until she was level with the little girl, and then rested her hands on her knees as she fought to catch her breath.

"Where are…Tasuki and the others at…?"

Nyan-Nyan's small mouth turned upwards into a cute little smile. "They're already up - although some of them didn't enjoy being awakened!" She stifled a few giggles into her hand. The miko snickered a little, but then prodded for the girl to lead on, which she did with a quick nod.

As they ran, Chihiro let her mind wander, thinking deeply about her dream from the previous night. '"Be prepared for anything that may come", huh?' she reflected. She repeated the words, recalling the voice that had said it and following along as each word was spoken.

'…Even the seishi can't help me with all my challenges. I have to be brave, and I have to be strong. And I should never lose hope - but, hope in what? My seishi? No, that doesn't make any sense, since he just finished saying that this is something they can't help me with. I wonder what it is? I know it's a decision…at least, I think it is.'

xXxXx

"And yet another miko comes to this world." A silky male's voice concluded, strumming his long fingernails on the armrest of the chair where he lounged. The room around him was large and vast, like a never-ending sky with dark, star-filled pillars lining the room on both sides. Two grand golden doors sat at one end, the only entrance to the room.

He paused, glancing up at the star patterns on the ceiling as if waiting for something. After a moment he went on, saying in a monotone voice as if reciting a document: "To save all the miserable wretches and be their savior; to be recorded in this land's history forever and ever more…" Upon being ignored, the first figure sighed, rising and coming to peer over a red head's shoulder, and a second later into a flat looking glass that he was watching intently.

"Little brother, I believe you - I believe _we_ are asking too much of this girl. She is merely a child, and too unsure of herself. To have our plan fail and crumble is a risk I am unwilling to take, and-"

"Well then, what would you have me do, Byakko-san? Give up; return her to her own world? No, I could not do that. It is too late now. Our selection shall remain as it is."

"What selection?" a familiar voice queried.

Byakko backed away and looked on as another presence entered the room. "A pleasure to be in your presence, as always, Seiryuu-san," he muttered sarcastically.

The dragon-god ignored the tiger-god, peering into the looking glass. Finally, a grin spread across his face. He looked up. "Suzaku-san, that is your new priestess?" When he received a nod, he broke into cold criticism. "How pathetic. Her chi is not as nearly as high as your previous summoner. How can you expect her to properly complete the spell, or the transformation ritual? And do not forget: our seishi have been reborn as mere animals. How will they protect a that weakling-"

"That is enough, Seiryuu-_san_!" Suzaku slammed his fist down onto the shining surface of the globe. Byakko cringed at first, afraid the phoenix-god would shatter it, but his younger brother retained his composure and continued. "I know precisely what I am doing, you foolish lizard. I chose her based on her ability to love and share kindness with others; this is where she shall discover her strength. There is nothing stronger than the emotion of love, of that I am certain!"

Seiryuu yawned, looking back at his younger brother. "Excuse me, were you speaking? I tend to lose interest when you rail on about that 'love' nonsense. Now, did you have something relatively intelligent to tell me?"

"'Love nonsense!' How _dare_ you say that in my-"

"Would you kindly cease your infernal bickering!" the eldest member of the group looked up from across the room, one eyebrow twitching irritably.

"My apologies, Genbu-san," Byakko's voice rippled like the ocean waves as he bowed low to his older brother. "It seems that our less, ah... 'mild-mannered' siblings have begun another of their endless arguments." He glanced over at the quarreling pair, a teasing smile in his eyes. "I only pray that this one will not end in a seishi war - the first was most troublesome, was it not?"

"_What_ did you say!" both younger gods roared.

"Ah, nothing of importance," Byakko waved his hand, dismissing his two siblings. "Besides, you should be pleased to still _have_ your seishi. Genbu-san's, as well as my own, passed on long ago," he stated the fact casually, as if their gruesome deaths meant nothing to him. He took a seat in a white throne, leaning his chin on his slender, milky white hand.

"You know perfectly well that this plan is doomed to fail, Suzaku-san. She does not possess the courage to undertake such a responsibility. She _will _fail, and we shall all suffer the consequences." Turning, his blue garment fluttering behind him, Seiryuu departed through the golden doors.

Suzaku clenched his fist as the image of Chihiro shimmered up in front of him, her smiling face clear in his seeing-crystal. What if his brother was right? What if he had chosen poorly, and all his plans crumbled to nothing? He shuddered as his crimson-brown eyes allowed him a glimpse of such a future. He looked back to the mirror's reflection, setting his chin stubbornly. 'But it shall not happen like that. I have faith in you. I know you shall not let us down. Find the rest of your seishi, and have faith in them to serve and protect you. I'll be watching over you until you do, Sakamoto Chihiro.'

xXxXx

"We're heee-eeere!" Nyan-Nyan burst through the doors, startling a few of the animals that stood waiting. A minute later, Chihiro entered after the little girl. "Ohayou, minna…san…!" she greeted, breathless. They greeted her all at once.

"Ohayou-gozaimasu, Chihiro."

"Yo Chihiro."

"Ohayou, Chihiro no da!"

"Hey it's about damn time y'got here! I've been bored as hell!"

She scowled at the last comment, turning to the Oracle to let Tasuki know he was being ignored. "Taiitsukun, I'm sorry I took so long. Nyan-Nyan told me that you wanted to talk to me and my…" She struggled over the next two words, not used to saying them, "my seishi, before we set off. That is what you wanted, right?"

No, that felt wrong, she thought with a frown. They didn't belong to her, like her property, did they? It didn't make sense that she should call them her own, as if they were nothing but mere objects, easily replaceable. They were living, breathing creatures like her. She would have to keep that in mind for later on.

The Oracle nodded. "Actually, I have already talked things over with your seishi and they all have agreed to accompany you and protect you until you find constellations Nuriko, Chiriko, and Mitsukake. My last few words before I send you on your way are a warning." She paused, making sure she everyone's attention before continuing. "Chihiro, Priestess of Suzaku, I don't think it would be wise for you to travel on your own with your seishi in their animal forms. It will be too risky, and something like the incident last night could occur again."

"But then, how am I going to find the others? I thought you said I had to go out and look for them…?"

"We are capable of defending Chihiro, Taiitsukun," Hotohori spoke up, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"I have no doubt about that, Hotohori. But you can no longer wield a sword in your present form, can you?"

The seishi's tail switched in agitation. "That is true. However…"

"Then how am I going to find them if I can't go out anywhere, Taiitsukun?" Chihiro questioned, struggling to understand the Oracle's orders.

"I have already thought of that solution, child," the old one's scratchy voice cracked as she spoke. "You must disguise yourself as a young man."

The whole room was silent, the seishi's eyes as wide as their miko's. Tasuki was the first to break the silence with his loud-mouthed voice, as usual. "WHAT TH'HELL!"

"DA!" Chichiri fell over at thevolume of the bandit's unexpected cry.

"Chihiro, this is no time to fall asleep!" several Nyan-Nyans chorused, catching the miko as she fell backwards from the statement.

Hotohori frowned. "How on earth would we accomplish something such like that! It is impossible!"

"A man!" Chihiro squeaked, springing up. "Taiitsukun, I can't do that! I might be able to dress like one at the most, but I have certain traits that would kinda give me away…" She bit back the rest of her words, blushing madly. Her four seishi looked about as uncomfortable as she felt.

"If you would have let me explain," the Oracle reprimanded, "you would have understood. Chihiro, slide this around your wrist." She held out a silver armband, floating it over to the miko. Apprehensively, the teenage girl reached out, quickly sliding it over her hand and down around her wrist.

A golden light shot out of the bracelet for a second, then turned back into a dull, normal-looking silver band. 'I don't feel any different…' she stopped, seeing all four animals staring at her in shock. "W-what?" Her voice trembled, feeling uneasy under their stares.

"Y-you're…what the hell?" Tamahome shouted, turning away in embarrassment for his outburst as Chichiri hit him over the head.

"Relax, Tamahome-kun! It's only an illusion no da."

"It is? Shit! Y'look like a fella!" Tasuki barked.

"Huh?" Chihiro scanned the room for a mirror, and finally found one. Hurrying over to it, she was taken aback by what she saw. Everything was essentially the same, but her shoulders were broader and her hair shorter. Most importantly, her chest was flat. "This is so gross!" she cried, backing away. "I look like a guy!"

"That is the whole point," Taiitsukun reminded her dryly.

"B-but…but…I don't wanna look like a boy!" she whined in her very feminine voice.

"You will want to for this journey." Taiitukun explained calmly, despite the girl's protests. "People will be not as suspicious if they see a young boy traveling with four animals. Nyan-Nyan!"

"Right away, Taiitsukun!" The little girl started dragging Chihiro away, giggling as she went. "We need to find good clothes for you, to help you look more like a man!"

"WHAT!" both the miko and the seishi chorused at once.

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** YAAAY! Another chapter is done:jumps up and down: And I updated quicker than last time! heehee Domo arigatou for all of your reviews, it means a lot!

Tasuki: What th'hell! Chihiro's gonna have ta dress like a guy! Sounds like the opposite of Nuriko almost.

Nuriko:whacks him over the head: Only I'm cuter dressed as the opposite gender!

Tasuki: Don' hit so damn hard :glares:

Chihiro: It isn't exactly like I _want_ to dress like this, minna…!

'Chiri: Da! See you around for chapter 8 na no da!


	8. Rescue With Disturbing Results

Disclaimer: I no own, no criticize. I own Chihiro, and a few others for later. That's all.

xXxXx

"Change! Quickly, Chihiro! Put on the boy's clothes!" Nyan-Nyan persisted, trying not to giggle at the other girl's reaction.

"B-but…I'm a girl! I don't want to wear these! I'd feel…like a crossdresser!" Chihiro whined, still in her masculine form.

"Crossdresser?" They heard her dog companion explode with laughter in the other room. "Looks like we're gonna have two now: one that's already here and one that we gotta find!"

"'ONE THAT WE'VE GOTTA FIND'! What's that supposed to mean!"

The little turquoise-haired girls multiplied, all speaking at once. "Never mind it, Chihiro. Hurry, put on the clothes!"

"I am! I _am_!" She slipped her head through the hole of the garment, pulled on the pants and hurriedly tied a sash around her waist before stepping out into view. "There, you all happy now?"

"Y'look like pretty-boy o'er here used ta with yer long hair!" Tasuki jerked his head towards Hotohori, smirking at the horse's agitated expression. Glancing aside coolly, the former Emperor stomped his front hoof, scaring the puppy and putting a momentary stop to the teasing.

Chichiri shook his head. 'I'll be the adult babysitting the kids, as usual no da…' he thought. The cat looked back to his miko, whiskers twitching slightly. "Um, Chihiro, it's a good outfit, but we have to do something about your hair no da. It's too long and…it looks too feminine for a guy no da."

"Are you subtly hinting as to how…'feminine' I once appeared in human form, Chichiri?" Hotohori inquired, turning his head to look at the cat sitting on his back. Had he been human, and still Emperor, the statement would have sounded more threatening; but since Hotohori was now a stallion and Chichiri a cat, size was what was intimidating.

The feline sorcerer quickly shook his head. "N-no I wasn't saying that no da! It's just that—"

"The sash isn't tied right!" Tamahome ambled over to his new priestess, climbing up her pant leg and re-tying the sash, holding on to her arm with his tail as he did so.

Chihiro gasped when he yanked it tighter around her waist. "Not so tight!"

"Gomen ne," Tamahome apologized, though he continued to fiddle with the sash. Once he was satisfied, the monkey knotted it and jumped down. He paused, looking at Chihiro thoughtfully. "Hmm…Chichiri's right. The hair has to go."

"No way am I _cutting _my hair!" the girl held onto her long black locks protectively. "There is absolutely no way on this earth—er—in this book… I don't know what this is, but I am _not_ cutting my hair!"

"But Chihiro has to look like a boy," Nyan-Nyan reminded her sweetly. "Unless you want to have trouble when you leave Mt. Taikyoku…"

"Can't I just put it up or something?" she begged, cupping her hands together and pleading with big puppy-dog eyes.

"Even if we did, your bangs are still cut too evenly," Tamahome insisted. "No guy in his right mind would have hair like that. It _has_ to go." The monkey nodded decisively, convinced on the matter. It seemed like the others were starting to agree with him, which was bad news for the new miko.

"N-no! I don't want to mess up my hair just to be… Wait!"

Chihiro ran over to a mirror in her room. Resting next to it was a flower vase, which she overturned, pouring out some of the water and getting her hands wet. Chihiro ran her dampened hands through her hair and turned back to the group, picking up a tie and putting her hair in a tight low ponytail as she did. "Well? I fixed it…" she poked her fingers together nervously, hoping they would give in. "After all, it isn't like guys care about their hair anyways…do they? Please, I really don't want to cut my hair…"

"A'right! A'right already!" Tasuki conceded, though none too happily. "Jus' quit yer whinin' will ya? Sheesh…women!"

"Arigatou Gen-chan!" she appreciatively hugged him.

The dog muttered something close to a "whatever" in return, suddenly wriggling out of her grasp and landing on the ground to face her again. "But fer this t'completely work, y'gotta act like a guy too, y'know? So no more huggin' me 'r gigglin' 'r any o' that girlie shit, got it?"

Her face went blank. She hadn't thought of that before. "Um sure. Hey, uh…on the journey, maybe…I could take tips from you guys? I've…never really done this before, eheheh." She sweatdropped, thinking how weird that must have sounded. But then again, she reminded herself, this was a pretty weird situation to being with.

Chichiri chuckled. "I think I understand no da. We'll try to help you any way we can, but for starters, just go with what Tasuki said."

Chihiro nodded. "Well, isn't it time we get back to Taiitsukun? I'm sure she's waiting for us."

"Right!" Nyan-Nyan floated in front of her face, giving her a thumbs-up for her disguise. Chihiro smiled back, liking the adorable little girl more and more. "She'll send you all on your way soon enough now! Come on, follow me!" The girl dove, scooping Chichiri up in her arms as she floated out. She laughed, hugging him tightly. "Houjun-san is a kitty! How kawaii!"

"D-da…"

Chihiro started giggling, but then cleared her throat, remembering what Tasuki had said. This was definitely going to be a difficult experience, of that she was certain!

xXxXx

Almond-shaped eyes peeked into the room from behind the golden doors, looking for any sign of his brothers. When he had thoroughly checked the room and found that he was the only entity in the area, Byakko approached the looking glass with stealthy, almost cat-like footsteps, barely making a sound. Once again scanning the room with his eyes, he peered down at the flat clear surface. With a small wave of his hand the blank mirror swirled to life, revealing a dark room.

Sacred tapestries marked the walls along with the faint glow of dimly lit candles casting shadows across the room. Byakko blinked, waving his milky white hand again until a different section of the same room appeared. This scene showed an open window, and the only one in the room that was unlocked. Transparent beams of moonlight filtered inside, casting spotlights on the dark green-black rug on the ground. Stitched into the rug were seven constellations, all familiar to Byakko. The tiger-god's lips curved into a smile. It seemed as though the room wasn't so empty after all. 'So…' thought the god, 'this is what has become of you after all these years…'

A lone shadow slid in through the window, landing soundlessly on the stone floor inside the sacred shrine. Straightening, his gaunt figure moved with incredible silence across the room, his breathing calm and easy. He took refuge behind one pillar, darting over to the next, avoiding the areas enshrouded by moonlight. The figure paused momentarily to spit in disgust at a graven image of the god of the East, scowling contemptuously while at the same time eyeing it wearily as if it would spring to life and strike down whoever was foolish enough to defile the magnificent shrine.

But at last he made it into the shadows again, posture immediately relaxing as he took many deep breaths. As he stepping further into the darkness his exotic green eyes gleamed, pupils adjusting to the gloom to make out the images carved into the wall.

Byakko chuckled a little, watching the figure with mild interest in his golden orbs. "And here I thought you had died off," he said aloud in a bemused tone.

The man stopped, studying for a long time the engravings of Suzuno and her seishi. Idly he traced a hand over a figure that had once been him, though the image now had deep scratch marks running across it. So, after all this time, he was still hated and despised… Not much of a shocker, really. He turned, more-or-less uninterested in his own unpopularity; it was the carving next to the image that held his attention.

It was a young woman, around the age of seventeen or so, with long auburn hair that cascaded down almost to her knees. She was lovely, her face shining with something serene, something magnificent that you couldn't quite place your finger on. She seemed to have a calm aura of understanding about her. She was clothed in a long intricate indigo dress, but its beauty paled in comparison to the peaceful expression on her face.

The tall youth stared at it in an odd manner, running a finger lovingly along the carving's face. He blinked back sudden tears, clearing his vision in the process.

"Kara..." he breathed, gazing longingly at the carving. It was the figure of Karasuki, another one of the Byakko Seven. He had loved her so much, and he still did. However, she had died long ago, leaving him alone. Over time, his sorrow had become a twisted hatred directed at his god, for in his mind the great tiger had taken away his beloved Karasuki.

Slowly, he tore his eyes off Karasuki to gaze at the tiger in a deep loathing, a loathing that had only grown over the years. Slowly, he began to circle the statue, until he came face-to-face with it. "Hm. You don't look scary to me, kitty. I wonder why people even bother praying to you, hm? They ask for you to help protect against drought, spare their kids from sickness, and what do you do? Nothing."

He sighed and leapt up to sit on the tiger's paw. "You're really somethin', y'know that? At first, I never even believed in you, and then when I finally did, it didn't help a damn thing. My life's certainly been hell, thanks to you... Why'd you pick me, anyway? I was just fine being another street urchin... But _you _had to ruin my life... And I _hate_ you for that..."

The tiger-god smirked, long slender fingers resting alongside his cheek as he leaned leisurely on his hand, observing the seishi. "And I see _you _still harbor a strong hatred against me," he said, dismissing it as if it were nothing of importance.

Waving his hand, he banished the image, returning the mirror to its usual smooth, clear form. He turned to leave, white garments fluttering behind him. "Maybe I shall keep you in mind for later, my dear seishi." Byakko chuckled, his white form vanishing from sight.

xXxXx

"So…I use this thingy here and it will show me where my…where the remaining seishi are?"

Chichiri nodded, looking back as he scampered down the path in front of her, Tasuki in tow. The dog was currently glaring at Hotohori, no doubt for the earlier foot-stomping incident. For his part, the former Emperor was doing little better: the stallion had been placidly ignoring Tasuki for some time. Chichiri sweatdropped. "Hai, Chihiro no da. But we have to be close enough to them for it to react no da."

She nodded. "I see. So, if I were to find…what were they again? The names? N…Nuriko…Chiriko and Mit…sukake? Yeah, that's it. If I got near one of them, then this thing would—"

"Hold it!" Tamahome bounced off the horse's back, landing on her head. "Even with the disguise, you still sound like a girl!"

"Tama's right, y'know. Th'clothes an' disguise ain't gonna matter if ya go 'round soundin' like a sissy here. Y'gotta talk lower 'r somethin'."

"…'Talk deeper?' I'll sound like an idiot!" she protested.

"Better'n getting' inta trouble, ain't it?" asked the puppy. He studied her for a while before his scowl deepened. "An' fer th' love-a Suzaku, change th'way yer walkin'! Yer givin' all us guys a bad name!"

"And what, Gen-_chan_,is wrong with my walking?" her voice was beginning to get testy.

Tasuki's was nearing the same emotion as he retorted with: "Well, Chihiro-_chan_, yer walkin' too straight; slouch a little! An' yer legs're too close t'gether. An' don' smile so much…oh wait, heheh, y'stopped that already."

Her hands clenched at her sides. She was growing steadily closer to clobbering him. Hotohori noticed, trying to change the subject before fighting broke out. "Chichiri, you said this path will lead us to a place for us to rest safely until morning?"

"Hai, it's a cave where I used to stay sometimes during my wanderings. It isn't much further no da," the cat replied.

"Let's just hope it don' rain t'night - caves're too frickin' cold and damp as it is!" Tasuki complained. Chihiro rolled her eyes.

"AAAAHH!"

Tamahome's head snapped around in the direction of the scream. "What was that!"

"I'm not sure, but we should investigate; someone may be in trouble!" The horse turned his head to his miko. "Chihiro, climb on."

Nodding, the girl did as she was told, hoisting herself up onto the stallion's back as Tama hopped onto her shoulder and the cat leapt on in front of her. Tasuki ran along the ground as Hotohori galloped in the direction of the scream. His ears twitched. "There's a bear up ahead; I'm sure of it!"

"B-BEAR!" Chihiro's hands trembled as they held fast to Hotohori's mane.

"Don't get nervous, we'll protect you," Tamahome reassured her, lifting his head to peer at something in the distance. The others had seen it, too.

A girl was running madly towards them with a huge brown bear at her heels. She looked out of breath and her clothing, a fuchsia-colored dress embroidered with a dark violet, was torn around the lower part of her leg, light crimson staining the material. The brunette was looking back at the beast that was determined to make her a meal, panting with exhaustion. "S-someone help me! Anyone…please-AAH!" The animal struck out with its front paw, tripping her. She fell to the ground with a painful shriek.

"That's our cue no da!" Chichiri leapt from Hotohori's back a short distance away, Tamahome following.

"So, picking on defenseless girls, huh?" The bear turned, seeing the two smaller animals, but missing the orange blur that leapt onto his back until it was too late. The seishi puppy grabbed ahold of the beast, sinking his canines and claws into the back of its neck. The bear roared, shaking to rid itself of the pest, but Tasuki's hold was firm. Tamahome and Chichiri joined in, providing an excellent distraction for the other two in their company.

The girl managed to crawl a few inches away, her leg badly injured. Forcing herself to stand, she attempted a step, but nearly feel over in the process.

"Hey!"

She gasped, looking up to see a boy riding bareback on a horse, reaching out a hand to her as he rode by. Eyes widening, she reached out, allowing herself to be pulled off the ground and onto the chestnut animal's back. The dark-haired "boy" looked over with the strangest green eyes to where the others were fighting her attacker. A small cream-colored cat hissed, swiping the bear across its black nose and making it roar in pain. Behind it, a monkey was repeatedly punching its back legs. The dog still had a solid grip on the flesh of its back and didn't look like he would be thrown off anytime soon. The girl's sky-blue eyes watched the spectacle, stunned.

The "boy" put a hand to his lips, giving off a shrill whistle. "Tamahome! Chichiri! Tasuki! Come on!" At his voice, abnormally feminine though it was, the animals obeyed, much to her astonishment. The bear turned angrily towards them once it was rid of its three opponents; she flinched, quickly throwing her arms around the boy's waist as she felt the sudden jolt of the stallion as he started to run. The other three followed, the cat riding on the dog's back while the monkey took to the trees.

The bear's cries soon faded behind them, but they continued to run, not wanting to give it an opportunity to catch up. Utterly exhausted, the girl let her head rest against her rescuer's back, sighing heavily and wondering as to the identity of her unusual rescuer.

As Hotohori slowed to a trot, Chihiro smiled and swiveled to face her new companion. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"H-hai…" the girl answered, blushing.

The miko in disguise arched an eyebrow. "What's the matter? Are you sick or something?"

"I-ie! I'm not sick at all, uhm…" she blushed brighter. "What's you're name?"

Now it was Chihiro's turn to feel embarrassed. Looking down at her animals for help, all she received were sympathetic glances, not aiding her in the least. She knew she couldn't take too long responding or the girl might suspect something…

"Boy?"

"Er…It's Hiro." She blurted, using the ending of her name.

"Oh! Hiroshi? That's your name?" the brown-haired girl smiled in a friendly manner at her, not looking suspicious at all.

"Y-yeah, my name is Hiroshi, eheh…" Mentally, she sweatdropped. How lame was this?

The girl continued to smile. "My name is Ren. Pleased to meet you, Hiroshi-san, and thank you for saving my life."

"D-don't mention it…" Chihiro quickly turned around in the saddle, cringing when Ren's arms remained around her waist and when the girl leaned into her back, resting her head on Chihiro's shoulder. 'Why…oh, why me Suzaku…?' she grumbled to the heavens.

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** Okay, first order of business; I had help from my friend Abby (pen name: Tomo no kakaka) in this chappie, so, Abby, arigatou:huggles: And also, from me friend Tiff (pen name: L.G. Lena) :huggles her other friend: Couldn'ta done this without your input, guys!

Yay! Thank you all so much whoever has read this far! Gomen for the long waits; I've been busy as heck with school! You're reviews are greatly appreciated. I luv ya all:huggles everyone:

Tasuki: Oi! Send all th'flames y'want; it sucks anyway!

Amaya:cracks him over the head: Mean!

Tas:mutters curse words under breath:

Tama:laughs at him and gets pounded:

Chihiro: Eww…another girl thinks I'm a cute guy :cringes in disgust:

Amaya: Okay folks, first of all do NOT abandon this fic because of that! This ain't gonna be…one of those fics:begs:

Hotohori: Why are my words so limited? I rarely speak at all!

Amaya: Uhm… I didn't need you to talk just then?

Hoto: …

'Chiri:is happy because he has plenty of lines: See you all in chapter 9 no da!


	9. Ren

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yûgi, so don't sue me! Also, I just want to start out by saying that I am truly sorry for the long delay in posting! School has been a pain in the arse and my teachers are all evil people 'cause they pile on the hw like there's no tomorrow! So yeah… Anyways, on with chappie 9!

xXxXx

'Why me Suzaku…?' Chihiro asked with an inward groan, her mind racing. Of all the things that could have happened, some _girl _thought she was a dashing young man! And she had saved this girl, too, which didn't make things any better. The disguised miko reflected on what the Oracle had said to her when they had set off.

xXxXx

"_WAAH! I look like a guy!" Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut, no longer wanting to look in the mirror. " This is so GROSS!"_

_The aged one rolled her eyes and said in a dry tone, "That is the idea. You will want this for your journey." _

xXxXx

'I'm gonna get her for this…' She vowed silently to herself with a clenched fist, forgetting for the moment about the girl behind her, as well as the monkey on her shoulder. Tamahome silently wondered what his priestess could be getting so excited about.

Ren rode awkwardly on the back of the stallion, blushing at the sight of her skirts scattered about so unceremoniously. She prayed Hiroshi hadn't seen such an unladylike display. 'He probably didn't…I mean, at least I hope not…' The brunette began to feel uneasy, fidgeting in her seat and wishing she could sweep her one leg over to the other side so she would feel more at ease.

The stallion snorted slightly in annoyance from her movement, but continued trotting along at a steady pace. He didn't have to put up with the girl's wriggling for long, however, for she soon gave up the useless struggle. There wasn't enough room for her to execute the movement anyway, and her calf was still tender from the bear's claws. Looking down at the hem of her fuchsia kimono, she frowned when she saw that the garment was partially ripped, as well as mildly stained with blood. 'Stupid bear…'

Tasuki, after looking up at the rider and her passenger, hurried ahead to speak with his feline companion. "So, how much further do we gotta go? We weren't s'posed t'pick up an extra member, 'Chiri!"

Chichiri sighed, walking along with his long tail occasionally swishing behind him in sleek motions. "I know, but we couldn't just leave her to die no da. We'll take her back to her village and then just leave from there-"

"Why can't she just take her own damn self back?" the dog interjected irritably.

Chichiri picked up as if he had never been interrupted, "-to find the other warriors no da. And who knows, we might discover some of the others once we arrive."

"Yeah, that's right…" Tasuki muttered as he thought back to their past lives.

The last time he and Chichiri had seen Taka, they were wandering all over the Konan Empire searching for their reincarnated friends. Those had been hard times, with the world deteriorating and those fake animal gods showing up everywhere, but they had pulled through, somehow. They always did.

Tasuki smiled at the old memories, though there was concern in his eyes. He couldn't wait to find his three remaining friends, Nuriko, Chiriko and Mitsukake, but he also pondered how they were going to fulfill their mission this time. They were only animals, after all.

Hotohori blinked at the strands of dark mane that fell across his eyes; he brushed them aside with a quick flick of his head, resuming his search for a resting place. Even a horse had trouble carrying two girls around, and the stress was beginning to wear on him. If it continued much longer, he would start to perspire. He sweatdropped. That wouldn't look very elegant or beautiful, would it? Sighing, he kept up his pace, glancing ahead at the dog and cat as they too walked along silently. The stallion raised his head to speak with the former monk. "Chichiri. How much longer until we reach this cave you spoke of earlier?"

The cat glanced back. "Not much further from here no da." He paused, then added more to himself than to the others: "I wonder if the mats and firewood are still there no da?"

"Either way, I hope we stop soon," Tama spoke up. "I'm getting kinda hungry."

Tasuki smirked, white canines gleaming. "Ya sound like Miaka there, Tama. Don' turn yer stomach inta the bottomless pit that she had, or we'll run outta supplies b'fore we even find _one _of our other brothers."

Tamahome smiled faintly at the statement, but his eyes looked far away.

Chihiro almost spoke up to inquire more about Miaka, but bit her tongue at the last minute. This other girl would think she was crazy! 'At least I caught myself this time,' she mentally sighed in relief. "So, uh, Ren isn't it?" she asked aloud.

The girl behind her perked up, nodding. "Hm. And again, thank you so much for rescuing me, Hiroshi-san. And Hiroshi-san, uh…is it okay if I call you that?"

"Er…you're welcome… And just call me 'Hiro' if you want. That's what my friends call me back home." She was lying as she went along. It was becoming an easy habit; something she was not proud of.

Ren giggled. "Okay. And, out of curiosity, how old are you then, Hiro-san?"

Chihiro hesitated. "F... Fifteen."

The brunette's eyes brightened, then narrowed curiously. "So am I. But, if you're fifteen as well, what are you doing wandering around alone? Doesn't your mother worry about you?"

"Uh…" She looked imploringly out the corner of her eye at the animals for help, but they returned her stare with sympathetic looks of their own. The miko fumbled for words. "Uh…let me just say that…it's rather complicated…"

"Oh that's alright," Ren put a hand on her shoulder. "If it's personal you don't have to tell me, not if you don't want to."

Chihiro breathed an inner sigh of relief. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, Hiroshi-san." Ren smiled, turning her attention to the animals.

Chihiro briefly directed her gaze upwards, towards the heavens. 'Thank God…'

Her thoughts were interrupted. "Your animals are amazing! I've never seen any braver in my life, Hiro-san! What are their names?" Ren asked, looking down at the animals as she spoke.

"Oh, that's Tasuki," Chihiro said, motioning to the dog. She waved her hand in the cat's direction, "That's Chichiri, and Tamahome…" She felt the monkey on her shoulder tense. Looking around she noticed that the others were giving her warning looks. It only took a moment to register. 'Oh no!' she thought as panic seized her. 'I called them by their seishi names! Now what do I do…!'

"Wow! You mean you named them after the Suzaku seven? Fitting names for such brave animals, to say the least!"

The adrenaline started to leave Chihiro's body, making her feel numb for a moment or two. Again she paused to thank the heavens for this girl's dense nature. The four animals took a moment to do the same.

Ren spoke up again. "But what's the name of your horse? You didn't say."

"Oh, that's right. This is Hotohori," she explained happily, patting the animal's neck softly as she did. The stallion raised his head in acknowledgement, stopping with a halt. Both girls blinked and Chihiro looked ahead at her dog and cat comrades questioningly.

"In there no da." Chichiri mewed, nodding his head in the direction of a cave as Tasuki began trotting towards its mouth; the cat soon followed.

"Hiro-san, why did we stop?"

Chihiro nodded back to her cat, turned to dismount, then froze. 'Wait…didn't she hear…?'

Thinking "he" didn't hear her, Ren tapped "him" on the shoulder again, asking calmly, "Hiro-san?"

'Guess not,' she thought with a sweatdrop. Out loud, she explained: "Well, we're stopping here. It's starting to get dark and uh, it wouldn't be good to travel in the woods after the sun goes down…what with all the bandits and slave traders wandering around…" She nodded, remembering the men who had nearly captured her the day she had arrived.

Shuddering, Ren nodded in agreement, a pink tinge creeping over her cheeks as she looked towards the cave. Not seeing the blush, Chihiro slid off, Tama following suit, then she turned and offered the other girl a hand. The new miko figured that if she had to pretend she was a guy, she could at least be a polite one. "Need help?"

The brunette nodded, taking his hand as she slid her injured leg to the other side, carefully easing herself down. Once she made contact with the ground though, she stumbled, falling against Chihiro. Both blushed at the contact and Ren hastily pulled away, shifting most of her weight onto her uninjured leg. "G-gomen nasai! I d-didn't mean to…!"

"I-ie, it's all right, really…" Chihiro managed to say. "Uh, let's just go inside, kay?"

"S-sure," Ren stuttered, avoiding contact as she allowed Chihiro to help her into the cave. The animals stood by uneasily before following the two humans. This was going to be some night!

xXxXx

The surface of the mirror shimmered as it focused on the two girls and four animals. Golden eyes sparkled with silent laughter. "Suzaku-san, do you have the mind to have these two…?"

"No!" The phoenix-god answered quickly, snapping his teasing elder brother a look that said he was anything but amused. "I have no intention of doing _that_, Byakko-san. Why would you even come to the assumption that I would…!"

"I was merely teasing you, brother." The tiger-god assured him, waving his hands in a gesture of peace. "But either way, it appears is if one of them may grow quite…fond of the other, wouldn't you agree?"

Suzaku rested his head in his hands, index fingers lightly massaging his own temples. "Yes. It had not occurred to me that such a thing might happen until now… Why must mortals' emotions always get the better of them?"

"You are the god of love, Suzaku-san, not I." Byakko responded, no sympathy in his voice. ""My business does not lie with such trivial matters as the flutterings of a maiden's heart."

"I still believe you are going to fail," said a steely voice. "It has already been a day and she has not made any progress in finding your remaining warriors, Suzaku-san. You chose poorly this time."

"Seiryuu-san, your constant nagging is quickly growing on my nerves," the youngest god answered tensely.

"And both your and Seiryuu-san's conversation is making my head ache." Genbu drawled. "All you two ever do is irritate each other over Suzaku-san's new miko. I myself am indifferent to the girl's capabilities, but I am fast approaching the end of my patience with _your_ behavior."

"I do not recall anyone asking you to stay in this room, elder brother," Seiryuu reminded him, a small smirk curving the corners of his mouth.

The god of the north grinned broadly, not in the least taken aback. "And what business could _you _have in this room, little brother?"

The smirk that had once been on the dragon-god's face vanished was quickly replaced by a frown. Byakko's pale hand went to his mouth to conceal his cat-like grin, and also to stop him from letting out a small chuckle. It had happened so suddenly and ended so abruptly that he couldn't help but find it amusing. Suzaku was too preoccupied with the goings-on in the mirror to notice the humor of the situation.

Satisfied with the silence, Genbu leaned back in his throne made of solid granite and continued skimming over an old scroll he held in his hands, not particularly threatened by the icy glare Seiryuu gave him.

Byakko also seemed content. He found listening to his brothers' quarrels amusing. But once the silence had returned to the room, he too leaned over the mirror next to Suzaku, wondering the fate of the new miko. As he watched the images fade in and out, he decided he would have to come alone to this room soon, so he could check on his single seishi. Even though the mortal had made it very clear that he loathed his god, Byakko couldn't help but find the warrior's spunky attitude entertaining. 'Later,' he reminded himself, smiling darkly. 'Later…'

xXxXx

Ren hissed through her teeth as Chihiro finished tying a piece of cloth around the injury on her left leg.

"Too tight?" Chihiro asked, glancing up from her task to watch the girl with concern.

Ren shook her head. "Iie. It's fine. Arigatou." She smiled gratefully.

"Sure." Chihiro paused, then had a thought. "Oh, Ren-san, you know your way back to your village, right?"

The brunette waved her hand casually. "Of course! I'm not that disoriented from the bear that I'd forget where I…grew up…"

"…What's the matter?" Chihiro asked, wondering why she had hesitated.

"Nothing. It's just that…" She smiled, as if recalling a memory. "Well, I didn't really live here in Konan all my life. My actual birthplace was in Hokkan, up north."

"Really?" Chihiro tried to sound as if she had actually heard of the place. "I would never have guessed!"

Ren giggled a little. "Yeah. We moved here back when I was ten and we've been living here ever since. My aunt, uncle and favorite cousin came along with us. But they live in the village a few miles away from ours."

"You see them often?"

She shook her head. "From time to time. My family's really busy most of the time with their business. They run an inn and it always has to be open, and I can't go alone. Sometimes I miss them so much…"

Chihiro nodded silently. To some extent, she understood the other girl's loneliness. But Chihiro saw her relatives all the time. It was friendship she lacked back in her world. Could she make a friend with this book-world girl?

"Hiro-san, I'm going to sleep now. Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi nasai, Ren-san." Chihiro watched as her friend made herself comfortable on the other side of their shelter before snuggling down under her own thick blanket. She closed her eyes, only to open them again as she heard claws on the stone floor. The next minute she felt warmth near her feet. Looking down she saw that Tasuki had curled up at the foot of her blankets, both to watch over her and to keep himself warm. He didn't say anything, just shifted around until he got comfortable, all the while avoiding eye contact, and then pretended to be asleep.

The miko smiled faintly, glancing over about a foot away where Hotohori had settled in, already having drifted off. Tamahome was draped over the horse, using his mane as a sort of pillow; oddly enough, the former Emperor didn't seem to mind. She looked around some more until she spotted Chichiri, trying to make himself comfortable on the cold floor. The girl frowned. "Psst! Chichiri!"

"Da?" The cream-colored feline glanced up just in time to see Chihiro pat a spot on her blanket, motioning for him to come over. Looking down at the spot she was patting, he noticed that Tasuki was stretched out, snoring uproariously. Chihiro noticed it too; she made a face and nudged him over further with her legs, causing him to moan irritably but otherwise remain deep in slumber. Again she patted the spot. "Come lay down. It's got to be better than the floor."

He looked hesitant, but she remained persist, giving her bedding another few soft whacks before he gave in and delicately walked over. After circling a few times, he got comfortable, muttering an "Arigatou no da" before drifting off, as did the young miko.

xXxXx

Translation Notes: 

1) Gomen nasai- "I'm sorry"

2) Iie- "no"

3) Arigatou- "thank you"

4) Oyasumi/Oyasumi nasai-"Good night" and the answering to that.

**A/N:** WHEEE! Another chappie is complete! runs around hugging everyone For those of you who have waited this long…ARIGATOU! Cookies for you all!

School is almost over, so I'm sure the chapters will come quicker after the last day of school. Mine lets out towards the end of May, so yeah… Look forward to more action, humor, eye-wideners, romance-

Tasuki: _gags_ No way in hell I'm fallin' in love with anyone!

'Aya: No one's suggesting you will! Chill-a-whack! _punches his shoulder_

Chihiro: Why does another girl like me! _runs around in circles_

Tama: Been wondering that too Chi-chan.

Hoto: I have also always pondered why we are mere animals in this fanfiction…

'Aya: It's all a part of my devious lil' plan to gain popularity on like my beta and all my friends from this site! _maniacal laughter_

Everyone: _major sweatdrop_

Voices offscene: When are you going to bring us in, huh! It's been five chapters since you've found the monk and you have yet to run us!

Chihiro: I'm only doing what the authoress tells me to! Don't hate me!

'Aya: Good charrie! Extra cookies for you! _glances over at sources of voices_ GET BACK OUT OF SIGHT!

Voices: _make various panicked voices and amble away quickly_

'Chiri: _sweatdrops while trying to remain together_ See you all in chapter 10 no da!


	10. Butterflies

Hurray! Those of you who've stayed with me this far! I'm eternally grateful!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi; Yu Watase-sama does. Don't have a cow at me, because I admitted it. So there!

xXxXx

A soft sigh escaped Chihiro's lips as she leaned against the windowsill of her temporary room. It had taken most of the day for all six of them to make it to the village, but with a couple of stops along the way they had made it. Ren's mother and father were delighted to have their daughter back, and even more delighted with Chihiro, or "Hiroshi," for having returned her safely to them.

The miko still blushed, remembering how Ren's mother had all but smothered her with grateful praises and hugs, and before she could even regain her breath she received a sharp swat on the back from Ren's father, which only worsened her breathless situation. They were anything but willing to house she and her animals as well, taking Hotohori to the stables and allowing the other three in the house, provided they stayed with Hiroshi in his room. Chihiro pitied the poor stallion.

The young miko sipped on a glass of water, looking down at the stables from her window. All that had happened earlier danced in her mind as it was now approaching dusk. She had already eaten, thanks to Ren's mother and her wonderful cooking. She had also changed out of her traveling clothes into light slacks and a shirt that seemed to just fit around her masculine form. Resting her glass on the sill, she reached up to her wrist, sliding off the bracelet. Now the shirt looked more like a small dress that draped over her feminine figure, but she didn't care. She preferred her normal form much more.

Tamahome hopped up onto a clear space of the windowsill. "Well, so far so good, ne? We'll all rest up and leave tomorrow. Man am I glad they aren't going to charge us for our stay…"

Her head turned sharply. "What! But…I… Ren's one of my friends now… Do we really have to leave her behind?" She turned to look back out the window sorrowfully. "Back in school, I didn't get along with many of the kids much. They either always picked on me or ignored me all together. I never really talked to anyone…and now I meet Ren, and you're telling me I have to let that person go!"

The monkey sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you. But we can't risk taking her along. In our animal forms we're still weak and we can't protect her as well as you. On top of that, what if she finds out about your little secret? Or about me, or Tasuki, or the others? I don't know how she would take it if she found out you lied to her, but maybe you should just spare yourself that trouble and-"

"Oh!" A brilliant crimson light emitted warmth in the pocket of Chihiro's makeshift pajamas. Reaching in she pulled the mirror Taiitsukun had given her, eyes widening when it shone brighter.

Tasuki was up from his resting place on her bed in an instant, scrambling over to his master and pulling her away from the window with a jerk. "Y'idiot! Do ya want people t'see the light!" he growled with his mouth full of shirt sleeve.

"But it's so bright I couldn't help it!" She tried covering it with her hands, finding that the blaze hurt her eyes.

Something landed on her shoulder, and the next instant she felt whiskers tickling her cheek. "Don't cover it up, it might be revealing a character no da." Chichiri explained, and at his request she uncovered the surface. It increased in its glow for a moment before dying down like embers in a campfire.

"W-what is…?"

"It says 'court warrior' no da." The cat's face twisted and contorted in deep thought while Tasuki-puppy on the floor scratched behind one of his pointed ears, a glare on his face as always. The kanji seemed familiar enough, but…

"But none of us had a symbol that meant that, 'Chiri. Ya sure ya read it right?"

"I'm sure Chichiri knows how to read, Tasuki," Tamahome snorted, folding his arms over his small chest as he looked down on a cart passing by in the streets. "Something we can't say about you perhaps, but…"

"Why you…!"

"Stop fighting!" Chihiro snapped, glaring down at them as if they were disobeying a command. "Chichiri is trying to think!"

Sighing defeatedly, both cooled down at the wish of their priestess, but shot each other private looks that could only mean a rematch was to come later.

But as soon as it had come, the character faded, leaving them just as confused as before.

Chihiro fell back on her bed, Chichiri jumping off and landing near her head. "That didn't help at all. How am I going to find the last three warriors if I can't even read and understand the symbols for myself?"

"That's why we're here, no da," Chichiri reassured her, nuzzling the side of her face with his head as a form of comfort.

"Yeah." Tasuki joined the two on the mattress. "We'll all figger it out somehow. Don'cha worry about a thing, 'Hiro-chan.'" He smirked. "Fer now ya ought just worry 'bout makin' Ren think yer th' man-a her dreams, an' pretty soon she'll be droolin' all over herself just at th' sight o' ya…itai!" The dog turned to glare at the cat, who was flexing his claws. "What th'hell did'ja do that for!"

"That's enough teasing for today no da." Chichiri fully retracted the small daggers back into his paws. "And I didn't even scratch you that hard."

The puppy was about to shoot back a nasty comment when Tamahome forced his head down into the mattress. "I think I've got it!" Once he was sure he had everybody's attention, and after Tasuki was done cussing him out, he cleared his throat in a regal manner and began. "The first time, when Miaka was drawn into the book of The Universe of the Four Gods, she easily found me, followed by Hotohori. And it wasn't too long until we found Nuriko, but-"

"Get t'the point, monkey-boy!" Tasuki barked, the other two quickly shushing him. He shut his mouth and quietly sulked as he listened to the rest.

"My point, dog-breath, was this: When Miaka and I were in the palace after we met Hotohori, he gave her a scroll: The Universe of the Four Gods. In it were clues as to how we could find the other warriors." He closed his eyes momentarily, thinking back. "I remember Miaka and I were looking over them one night, and I still remember what they were."

Chihiro's eyes lit up, and she sprung into a sitting position, almost knocking Tasuki off in the process. "Really Tamahome! You remember! Then tell us, please! I think Chichiri said it was 'court warrior' when it appeared in the mirror. Who was that?"

"That's easy. That's one of the characters that belonged to the one carrying the mark of 'yanagi' or 'willow.'"

The other two went stiff, while their priestess blinked in confusion. "A-and that is…?"

Tamahome looked up, making eye contact with Chihiro. "The one who belongs to that symbol is none other than the Suzaku shichiseishi Nuriko."

Instead of turning stiff like her seishi, she punched the air excitedly. "All right! I found the fifth one! I found the fifth one! Got you Nuriko!" She grabbed Tamahome, hugging him. "Thank you so much for telling me that! We would have left behind a warrior if you hadn't spoken up!"

"Heh, you're welcome," answered the monkey as he attempted to weasel his way out of her grasp - not due to lack of air, but because of the fact that the canine a few inches away from him was growling low in his throat.

But Chihiro ended up releasing him anyway, snagging hold of Chichiri. "And thanks to you too, Chichiri, for reading the symbol out for me. My Chinese isn't that good…"

His eyes closed, mouth parting into what Chihiro assumed was a cat's smile. "Don't mention it no da." He stiffened suddenly, glancing towards the door of her room. "But you might want to put your bracelet back on. I sense someone coming towards the room no da."

The miko released him, feeling inside her pocket. She froze as her grasped cloth, but nothing else. Panic filled her thoughts as she quickly slid off the bed, feeling around on the floor in the fairly dark room for her bracelet. The animals began to assist, hearing the footsteps before she did.

With his nose to the ground, Tasuki sniffed around the room until his wet nose touched something metallic. "Found it!" He announced in a hushed whisper, picking it up in his mouth and handing it to Tamahome, who in turn had to throw it to Chihiro. She fumbled with it for a moment, then grasped it firmly in both hands and slipped it on, allowing the rapid transformation of her body to take place. The door cracked open and she wheeled around to see who it was, heart pounding in her chest.

xXxXx

The tall, gaunt figure walked alone along the dirt path; if someone passed him by, which was rare in the middle of the night, no one acknowledged him. He paid no attention to them either. With the exception of a small pack on his back he had no possessions that might draw an attack from local thieves.

He snorted. 'Even though they always seem to pick me as their next target regardless of that…' His exotic green eyes looked up at the stars, anger swelling up inside of him despite his calm outward complexion. 'That scum…as if my life wasn't hard enough, he had to inflict this curse on me that in some twisted way _he_ considered a blessing. He allowed me to meet someone, become entwined with that person, and then snatched her away from me - from all of us.'

The former Byakko warrior shoved his fist into a pant pocket, bowing his head to allow his cinnamon-colored bangs to conceal his silent rage as it surfaced on his half-scarred face. 'And Suzuno tried to be sympathetic, despite how I reacted to her at our first meeting; when she first discovered that I was one of her seishi. But nothing helped. Nothing will _ever _help.'

Feeling the slight shifting of the sand under his feet, he looked up and out, viewing the vast desert before him. Shifting his legs, he turned to look back at what had once been his home. Leaving only his index and middle finger still extended, he feigned a small salute, smirking all the while as he lowered his hand from his forehead. The gesture itself, even though meant with sarcasm, looked quite sharp all the same. "So long, ungrateful bastards." He cast a glance up at the sky. "Oh yeah, almost forgot you too. Thanks a million for ruining my life, Byakko-seikun." With that he resumed his trek northward, the city to the west growing smaller and smaller until the surrounding sands finally swallowed it.

Up in the clouds, a solitary pair of golden eyes looked down at him. "Just where I want you to go, my lovely Toroki. Continue on your path." He paused, then added with a small chuckle and a feline-like smile: "And I'm most grateful for your abundant gratitude, my dear warrior. You should visit my temple more often."

xXxXx

"Hiro-san…what are you doing on the floor?"

Chihiro blinked. It was only Ren, praise the gods! "Oh um…I was just…looking for something, but it can wait, I guess." She stood up, lightly brushing off her clothes. "So, uh…did you need something, Ren-san?"

The brunette blushed a little, clasping her hands together before her and performing a small bow. "Ah, yes. Well, actually, I just came in here to thank you again, for saving me out there…"

"Oh, it was nothing. And you already thanked me for that…"

"I know, but…" Her blue eyes flickered up to meet Hiroshi's green ones, locking with them. "I wanted… I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out shopping with me tomorrow!" she blurted out, turning away quickly. It left Chihiro speechless.

"Come again?" the miko-in-disguise asked.

The other girl's hands trailed up to her strands of hair, running her fingers through her own locks nervously as she restated her question. "J-just grocery shopping. Mom's coming too, but she didn't even want me walking around with my injury. But it's not so bad that I can't walk on it. Um…will you please come with us, Hiro-san?"

'Oh no…' A cloud of doubt rushed over her. She needed an excuse to go look for Nuriko, but she was afraid that if she said yes it would lead Ren on, and she didn't want to lie to her new friend more than necessary. But what other choice did she have? And Ren was standing right there waiting for her answer, so there was no time to talk it over with the seishi. Chihiro cleared her throat. "Of course. I'd love to come with you."

"Oh! Okay, see you tomorrow then!" The other girl hurriedly left the room, her face shining with joy.

Once the door closed behind her, Chihiro sank to her knees, removing her bracelet once again. "Why do I have to lie? Why is it so important that I keep who I am a secret? I'm getting sick of it…I'm so sick of deceiving her. She's my new friend and she deserves to know the truth!"

The animals listened, sensing that she had more to say.

"But... but how do I know if she's the kind of person who'll stick with me no matter what? Even when she finds out… Will she still call me her friend? Or will she turn against me? Oh I don't know…!" She dug her hands through her hair, taking it out of its low ponytail and allowing her rich black locks to fall across her face. "I'm not sure about a lot of things…and I'm getting worried that I won't be able to do what I was called here to do… I'm really scared, you guys. I just don't know what to do anymore..."

"Hey, c'mon. Cheer up, Chihiro." Tamahome tugged at her hair, forcing her to look at him. He was surprised to see the threat of tears in her bright eyes. "We're here for you. You can depend on us to see you through anything. And if she does leave you, that's her problem - it'll have nothing to do with you." He smiled up at her. "You'll still have us, ne?"

Tasuki came to her side, pushing his head under her arm so he could lick her face like he had done before he could talk. Chihiro absentmindedly scratched him behind one of his ears, looking to the monkey and the cat, who smiled and nodded confidently.

"Tamahome's right no da. We'll be with you to the very end, to give you advice or even to just cheer you up no da."

Tasuki looked up, glaring at her accusingly. "Or ain't we good enough for ya?"

A smile came to her face at the fiery seishi's comment. "Arigatou, minna. I guess I almost forgot that I already had good friends here with me. Sumimasen."

xXxXx

"I feel so bad leaving the others back at the inn…" Chihiro whispered to the monkey on her shoulder as she walked through the marketplace, carrying a satchel for Ren and her mother. She had promised to keep the pair company, and did her best to be talkative, but she was really focusing on the small mirror in her pocket. She was hoping for another message about her nearby seishi.

"But they couldn't have possibly come," Tamahome reminded her. "Too many of us along would look weird, you know that."

"Yes, but…" she smothered a snicker. "But Tasu-chan was really upset at being stuck at home. So Chichiri had to stay there with him to cool him down. And Hotohori is too big an animal to bring into the marketplace." She smiled over at him. "You were the only one I could bring along that wouldn't look suspicious, Tamahome. But, do you know how we'll be able to find Nuriko in this mess-?"

"Hiro-san!" Ren snatched her arm, dragging her towards a nearby stall. "Let's go over here! I saw a pair of hair chopsticks that I think I like!"

"Ah b-but Ren-chan…!"

Tamahome lost his balance on shoulder, but managed to land on his feet on the heavily occupied street. 'This girl we met wasn't a miracle; but a curse…' he thought with a scowl. He sighed, dropping to all fours and attempting to follow his priestess through the crowds.

'Where'd Tamahome go...?' Chihiro looked back to find Ren glaring at her impatiently. "Eheh, gomen Ren-chan. What were you saying?"

"Oh, never mind. I can see that you want to be on your own for a while. I should've known no man under the sun would want to look at hair accessories." She shook her head, grinning at the other as she spoke. "Go ahead and have fun. But promise to meet me back here in a couple of minutes, okay?"

At last; an opportunity to go search for Nuriko! "Y-yes, of course! Ja ne!" Chihiro walked off into the crowd, Tama hopping back onto her shoulder as they disappeared into the crowd. Ren sighed after them, turning to go about her business.

Chihiro pulled the small mirror from her pocket once they were a safe distance away. "Okay mirror, help us find Nuriko."

"Sure, talking to it will speed things up, Chihiro-chan," Tamahome chuckled on her shoulder. "He's most likely been reincarnated into animal form like the rest of us, so we should keep our eyes open... but I wonder what he could be? Most likely a peacock…or maybe he really is a bird..." he mused aloud.

Chihiro arched a brow. "Nuriko was a delicate person when he was alive, I'm taking it?"

The monkey grinned. "You have no idea."

"I'm afraid to ask you about this, but-" The mirror glimmered, heating her pocket with a crimson light. It caught her attention immediately. Oblivious to anyone around them who might be watching, she held the mirror closer to her face to get a better look at the character that appeared in hazy outline. "He must be nearby," she said in a hushed voice.

"Right," He turned his head from his perch on her shoulder, looking around for any animals that might be Nuriko - or any animal at all, come to think of it.

"Tama-chan! Is that you!"

The mystical mirror gave off the sign of 'willow' in full as Tamahome jerked his attention towards the direction of the voice. "Nuriko? Where are you? Tell us where!"

A soft laugh. "Down here, baka!" the feminine voice exclaimed. Tamahome followed its sound, finding his eyes resting on a brilliant violet butterfly confined in a small wooden cage on a nearby stand. It was flapping its wings violently, obviously trying to get their attention.

Chihiro blinked. "Y-you're Nuriko?"

"I'd like to think so," Came a good-natured yet somewhat sarcastic reply. "And who are you?"

"Well umm…"

"Hey kid!" Chihiro practically jumped out of her skin, Tamahome letting out an excited squeak. She turned to see a middle-aged man with his hands on his hips. "You thinking of buying something, or you going to stand there and talk to yourself all day?"

"Eheh…" Chihiro cleared her throat, attempting to sound as masculine as she could. "Yes, uh, sir? How much would you want for that butterfly right there?" She gestured towards the newly discovered warrior.

"14 silver ryou."

"What! _14?_ That's insane!" Tamahome chattered madly on her shoulder.

Chihiro sweatdropped, trying to ignore the odd sound the best she could. "W-well, would you be willing to lower the price?"

Tamahome snapped his head back towards her. "You're going about it all the wrong way! That's no way to haggle down a price, baka! He probably won't even consider it now."

The man thought about it for a moment. "Maybe I would. What you got in mind?"

The monkey nearly fell off his miko's shoulder.

xXxXx

The dark figure watched a girlish looking young man bargain with a salesman. He picked at his teeth lazily with a small knife, leaning against the pillar of a restaurant.

'Strange kid…'

His bright green eyes watched the pair argue on a good price over whatever it was the middle-aged cheat was selling. 'Heck, I wouldn't even waste my time if it took that long,' the man thought, stepping away from the wood column and walking away, slipping the knife into his pocket as he went.

The Konan Empire seemed like as good a place as any to hide out while he decided what to do next. Or at least until he forgot about his recent Byakko shrine visit. 'Guess I'll stick around here for a while. It's not like I have anything better to do anyway.'

Toroki, last Byakko shichiseishi, continued on his way, never once glancing back at the girly young man and his monkey partner. Never once guessing who they might be, or how they might play into his life in just a short time.

xXxXx

1) Translation Notes:

2) Itai-"ow!"

3) Arigatou-"thanks"

4) minna-"everyone"

5) Sumimasen-"Pardon me/Forgive me"

6) gomen-"sorry"

7) Ja ne-"see you"

8) baka-"idiot/stupid"

A/N: YAY! I'm so glad that those of you who have read this far have reviewed! It makes me so happy! And that's chapter 10, folks! Hope you people are happy now!

Nuri: _waves to fans, blowing kisses_ I'm sorry I took so long coming out! But I'm here for good now, don't worry! _winks_

Tas: _snorts; rolls eyes_

Tama: _looks ill_

'Chiri: We're making good progress, only two more warriors to find no da!

Chihiro: I'm so excited! I still can't believe I found the fifth one!

Hoto: Until the next chapter 11, we leave you guessing about all the possible plot developments!

'Aya-san: Hope you stick around that long to read it minna! Ja ne!


	11. A Promise From A Friend

Hiyya minna-san! Arigatou for staying with me this far! _huggles every one of her reviewers_ Cookies for all!

Disclaimer: Remember, I do not own Fushigi Yugi or any of the characters—except my OCs, so no suing! Grr!

xXxXx

"Thank you, sir." Chihiro took the caged insect-warrior from the shopkeeper after handing over the agreed amount of money. Walking away, she looked down at her fifth seishi. "Well, one down; two to go. I'm so excited Tamahome!"

"Uhm…excuse me?" The butterfly spoke up. "But it's kind of cramped in here. Maybe you could…let me out for a bit?"

Tamahome shook his head. "We can't, Nuriko. You're an insect now, remember? What if we did let you out and a bird swooped down and—"

"Not another word, Tamahome!" Chihiro ordered, the very idea causing her stomach to churn. The violet butterfly shuddered at the thought, not speaking for a time as they fought their way back through the crowd.

"Hiro-san! There you are!" Ren smiled widely, walking up to meet them the rest of the way. "I was just about to go looking for you…oh my! What a pretty butterfly!" Her sky blue eyes sparkled; she cupped her hands over Chihiro's and lifted the cage up to her eye level to get a better look at the creature. "My! It's so beautiful! Where on earth did you find it Hiro-san?"

"Oh, uh…at a stand. The salesman offered me a good price," she grinned, knowing she had haggled her way down to a reasonable price, thanks to Tamahome's help—though his constant squeaking and chattering in her ear had become very irritating.

"Oh wow! Thank you, Hiro-san!" She carefully took the cage from the other girl's hands and began walking back to her home.

"Ano…" Nuriko muttered as he was carted away by the brunette. But what surprised him even more was that his original purchaser wasn't even trying to get him back.

Chihiro nodded. "You're welco- what! Hey wait a minute Ren-san! I didn't mean…!"

She didn't seem to even hear her friend's protests. "Come on Hiro-san! The quicker we get back the sooner I can help my mother prepare some food for all of us! Hayaku!"

"B-but…" Chihiro sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I guess I should catch up- itai!" She turned her head, glaring at her monkey who had just nipped her on the ear. "What was that for!"

"For being a major baka! You just let her take Nuriko!"

"Well, I'm sorry!" she responded in a huffy voice. "But what was I going to say?" She sucked in her stomach and stood straight up, pretending to protest Nuriko's capture. "'Oh, uh, wait; you can't take him. He's one of my seishi 'cause I'm the priestess of Suzaku, you know?'" She resumed her usual stance. "No way! I'd look stupid, not to mention insane!"

"Oh gods…" Tamahome buried his face in his hand, shaking his head dejectedly. It looked as if he did it often.

xXxXx

"Hotohori? Are you in here?" The miko called, bracelet still secure as she peeked into the stable doors. She heard some rustling of straw, then the stallion's head poked its way out of the opening above the wooden door to his "chamber." Smiling, she walked in, and, after making sure she was completely alone, she took off her bracelet and returned to her original form. She walked up to the horse, running her hand along his smooth muscular neck while looking into the gentle eyes. "How have you been doing?" she asked, opening the door and entering his stall for more privacy.

"Fairly well," he replied, deciding not to comment on the smell that always lingered in places like this. "How was your excursion with Ren and her mother? Did the mirror show any clues as to where the next warrior might be?"

Chihiro smiled again. "Actually, that happened last night. We just got back from the market place, and we brought 'Nuriko' back with us…"

The stallion's face lit up. "You found the fifth one already? And Nuriko no less? You are amazing, Chihiro. You only need to find two more before we return to Mt. Taikyoku and learn Taiitsukun's further instructions."

Her heart was so light she could have sang, if she had a better voice. This was easier than she thought it would be! Now all she needed were two more warriors, and she could head back with all seven of them to Mt. Taikyoku, back to Taiitsukun and those annoyingly cute Nyan-Nyans and then she would be able to save this world! Then she and Genrou could go back home!

Chihiro jerked awake from her light daze, hearing a strange sound from outside the stall. They were not alone in the stables. She rose to her feet, looking around nervously. "Who's there?"

"…Hiro-san…"

The miko's spirit sank. 'Oh no… Did she…?' Her heart felt like it was pounding in her throat as she slipped the magical jewelry back on; each pulse was so loud she was sure the other girl would hear it. Striking up courage, she finally found her voice and stepped into view. "R-Ren-san? What are you doing here? I thought for sure that you would be in the house helping your mother-"

"Oh Hiro-san!" Before Chihiro could speak another word, the other girl had thrown herself against Chihiro's chest, crying uncontrollably. "Hiro-san… Hiro-san…my cousin…! He…!" Another sob shook her small frame, and she gulped hurriedly, fighting to speak. Sniffling, she tried to continue. "M-my cousin Shuro…the one that came to Konan with us. He…he's dying, Hiro-san! My cousin is dying!" She buried her face in Chihiro's shoulder. "I just found out in a letter from my uncle, and…and I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do…!"

It took Chihiro a few seconds to react. First, she was relieved that she hadn't been found out, that her secret had remained hidden, but then she realized exactly what Ren was saying. Her eyes widened, and her brows wrinkled in concern for her new friend. "Your cousin's…dying?" she asked in a soft, sympathetic voice. "Oh Ren-san…" She gave the sobbing girl a hug, patting her back awkwardly, unsure of exactly what to do. What _could_ you do in a situation like this? "I, I don't really know what to say, but… oh, I'm sorry, Ren-san. I'm just, I'm so sorry..."

Ren shook her head. "It's all right. And thank you. But Hiro-san," she pulled away a little, looking the other in the eyes, "I _must_ go see him! I have to before it's too late, while he's still alive!" She ran a hand across her eyes, though it did little to staunch the steady flow of tears. "He... Shuro means everything to me. He's like an older brother to me!"

Chihiro nodded, her heart going out to the girl. "Then you should go as soon as you can!"

"That's the problem…" Ren hung her head, sniffing hard. "See, my parents are busy running the inn. They care about Shuro, maybe as much as I do, but they can't shut down the inn, otherwise we won't get any visitors and we'll lose money. And we don't have a lot of money as it is... well, Otou-san says we have to take care of the living first…" More tears welled up in her eyes. "And I can't go alone, they'd never let me go alone, because what if I run into more wild animals, or maybe something else on the way?" She looked up, her sky blue eyes gazing into Chihiro's in a silent plea. "But I have to go see him! I must…I have to go to him before it's too late, Hiro-san!" Ren lowered her head back to her friend's shoulder, crying even harder down her already tear-streaked face.

Chihiro felt her heart breaking. True, she had never lost a relative, and she had no idea what it was like to have one die, but seeing her friend like this...With each sob from the other it made her own eyes water. 'Poor Ren…she really does want to see her cousin, before he… maybe I ought to...'

She stopped. What was she thinking? She had a mission to fulfill - she was the _Suzaku no miko_! Chihiro reminded herself that she still had to find the remaining warriors, Chiriko and Mitsukake. She also remembered the Oracle's words: that the book world was quickly crumbling and she needed to gather the warriors at Mt. Taikyoku as quickly as possible. She couldn't back down from her duties; she couldn't put the whole world into danger just for one girl.

But she wasn't "just one girl;" she was Chihiro's friend. And the only friend she had. How could she let her down?

But she was the Suzaku no miko!

And yet...

She closed her eyes, bowing her head so that it nearly touched one of Ren's shuddering shoulders. "Ren-san?" she said quietly. "You really want to see him…right?" The miko received a small nod, as well as a small hiccup from her crying friend. Keeping her eyes closed, she said the words that made the other back away in surprise as soon as she heard them.

"I'll go with you."

xXxXx

"AH!" The boy shot up from the tree trunk he was currently sleeping again. The movement caused a few leaves on the branches to break off, fluttering to the ground with hardly a sound. It took a few moments for him to get control of his breathing, hand clenching and unclenching nervously over the center of his chest where he could feel his heart pounding. It felt as if he'd just run ten miles with no rest. "What the hell…?"

The boy looked down at his slender hands as if searching his palms for an answer or meaning to his odd dream. He shook his head stubbornly, shaking the images out of his mind. "It was a dream… Just a dream." He brought the same hand to his forehead, sweeping back his wild, cinnamon-colored bangs before sighing and falling back against the trunk.

"Although," he admitted with a sigh, "I could do without these nasty memories." Toroki leaned back, looking up at the starry night sky. "I guess that little nightmare was from you, huh? You just couldn't let me get away with smarting off to you back at the shrine, could you, you pansy-ass cat?" He scowled. "Not that I should be surprised: you've screwed me over from day one, tearing up my life and leaving me with nothing. Hell, you didn't even have the decency to give me a happy ending, did you? The only ones you really bothered to do anything about were Tatara, Tokaki, and Subaru. You sent Suzuno home to be miserable for the rest of her life. And you left me alone again."

He folded his hands behind his head, closing his eyes and speaking his thoughts aloud. "But then again, Tatara's dead; been that way for quite some time. I should know, seeing as how I felt it. And the old pervert and his wife aren't far from it. I've spied on them once or twice in the past few years; they don't look so good anymore, eh, Byakko ol' bastard?"

He sighed, scratching his head and frowning. "But I guess I'd be better off dead myself." He withdrew his knees to his chest, bringing his arms around his legs to hold them in place as he bowed his head and muttered softly: "It wouldn't be so lonely." His voice took on a hopeful tone, as he turned his eyes towards the shining stars above. "You'd keep me company, wouldn't you, Kara?"

xXxXx

"Are you outta yer cotton-pickin' mind!" Tasuki cried, although to any normal person it would have sounded like a very angry bark, almost a snarl. "Y'can't go! We need to find the remainin' two warriors! You'll have to go tell 'er ya can't take 'er!"

"No way am I doing that!" Chihiro protested, bracelet absent from her wrist now that she was in the company of her four animal confidants in the stables. Nuriko was still up in Ren's room. "I _promised _my friend that I would go with her to see her cousin, who happens to be _dying_! How can I just walk up to her and tell her I changed my mind!"

"But you shouldn't have agreed to go in the first place. The more time you waste, the harder it will be for us to stop this world from crumbling. Who knows how drastically things will be effected if you delay your mission, even for a moment!" Tamahome added, agreeing with the dog.

"But-"

"I understand that you wish to help your friend, and to ease her pain as she goes through this difficult time in her life," Hotohori said, picking his words with extreme care. "However Chihiro, she sees you as a man. How do you think Ren will react to 'a young man' escorting her a few miles to the next village? It will only draw her closer to you, and then if she were to accidentally become aware of your secret…"

"I know, okay!" Chihiro snapped, tired of her companions' rational voices. She didn't want to hear rational explanations, because she wasn't thinking with her head, this time. "I've thought that! I've thought of all of that!" She looked at them pleadingly, her green eyes filled with a hundred emotions. "But you guys, I have to do this. Ren's the only friend I've had in a long, long time. I can't abandon her when she needs my help." The miko looked down at the ground, hands folded. "I don't really know what she's going through. I hope I never do. But Ren's cousin, Shuro, he's going to die. _To die_!" Her fists tightened at her sides, and she closed her eyes tightly. "I can't let her suffer alone! I just can't..." she looked back up, smiling weakly at her four seishi comrades. "I just want to be a shoulder for her to lean on, you know? I want to be able to do that, at least."

Chichiri, stepping over to his priestess' side and putting a paw comfortingly on her leg. "It's all right, Chihiro-chan. I think I understand no da." His eyes closed all the way in a small cat-smile. "I would probably do the same, if I were in your situation."

Chihiro blinked, almost as surprised by the cat's words as she was by the tears in the corners of her eyes. After a moment, she returned the smile, patting the small animal lightly on the head. "Thank you, Chichiri."

Tasuki sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine, whatever. I guess we have t'go now, huh? Just great…"

The former monk tilted his head to the side, flashing Tasuki a mischievous feline grin. "But Tasuki, while Chihiro and Tamahome were gone, you kept complaining about how there was nothing to do, and how you just couldn't _wait_ to get out of here no da."

All he received in answer was a snort as the dog turned and stalked back to the main house.

xXxXx

The phoenix-god smiled, speaking with much relief in his voice. "Yes, good. That is exactly where I want you to go, Chihiro."

A silky chuckle came from another corner of the room. "Little brother, you speak to the looking glass as if you expect it to answer you back. I must admit, watching you use the mirror is rather amusing." The owner of the voice stood, his white robes flowing behind him as he moved to stand by the younger god's side, peering into the surface as well. Smiling at the young miko and her seishi, Byakko turned his golden eyes back to Suzaku. "You know, the most difficult to control on this journey will be your 'wing' seishi, Tasuki. I would say that it is excellent luck that they have already discovered Chichiri," he paused, a tiny grin on his attractive face. "Although, he hasn't his staff with him, this time…"

Suzaku couldn't stop the snicker that escaped his lips. "Very true, my brother. I must do something about that. But for now, let us focus on more important matters, shall we?"

Byakko nodded, but his face showed that he couldn't remember what those "important matters" were, exactly. "Brother, forgive me for asking, but would you mind…?"

Suzaku thought nothing of it; Byakko was always too busy scheming his own plots to remember anything of great importance. "First, I must guide my miko until she discovers the two remaining warriors, Chiriko and Mitsukake. Second, I shall be certain that they are found as quickly as possible, so that I may also arrange some time alone for Chihiro and Tasuki…"

The tiger-god shook his head sadly, though he couldn't a tiny grin from flickering across his face. "Suzaku, my dear brother, must you always find a way to fit love into the scenario? I should think that the task of saving this world would be quite enough to worry about."

"Certainly not," the phoenix-god said with a bit of pride in his voice. "I _am_ the god of love, after all."

xXxXx

The door slowly slid open to reveal a dimly lit room covered in evening shadows. The room's shades were drawn, as if its inhabitant disliked the sun, and what bit of light there was came from a small flickering candle on a corner table. Ren quietly stepped in, peering deeper into the darkness as if out of habit. Chihiro followed her gaze to the back of the room, finding herself looking at the outline of a young man propped up on a small bed. He seemed to be asleep, but when the light from the hall fell across his face his pale eyelids lifted, revealing deep brown eyes. He turned his head a little, and despite his obvious sickness he managed a gentle smile at the sight of the girl in the doorway. "Ren..."

"Shuro-chan." The brunette was at his side in a second. She knelt beside him, reaching for his pale hand and blinking in surprise at the chillness of the fingers. His hands had never been so cold before...

Her cousin seemed oblivious to her thoughts. He turned his gaze once more to the doorway, looking curiously at the figure who fidgeted under his stare and flashed a small, polite smile.

"K-konban wa. I'm Hiroshi, but call me Hiro if you like. It's, uh, it's nice to meet you, Shuro-san." Chihiro executed a small bow.

He nodded and rested his head back on the pillow, briefly closing his eyes. "And you, Hiro-kun. Nice to meet you too." Shuro gave the "young man" in the doorway a sharp look, studying "him" a moment before turning his attention back to his cousin.

Chihiro caught the hidden message. "Ren-san, I'll be downstairs or outside if you need me, all right?" Her friend faintly nodded, but the miko didn't think she had even heard the words. Sliding the door shut, Chihiro padded back down the corridor, hoping to round up her seishi for a talk somewhere secretive.

That left the two alone. Ren tightened her hands around her cousin's, now desperately trying to warm him up. "Shuro-chan, you have to take better care of yourself! You were probably out in bad weather and caught a cold, didn't you?" He kept his head back on the pillow, not responding even though she knew he was awake. Being ignored only made her want answers more, and she lightly tugged on his arm to get his attention. "Do you know what you have? What did the doctors say?"

He opened his eyes, the deep brown irises flooded with both worry and pain, with fear and weariness. But there was also a hint of acceptance in the orbs, and that was what terrified Ren the most. After a long moment he heaved a tired sigh and answered her question, though his voice was barely above a whisper. "Ren, they... I mean, the doctors, they said…they said that there was nothing they could do for me." He turned away again; he didn't want to have to see the pain and denial that was spreading across his cousin's young face. "They said I probably wouldn't live very long, maybe a week, a few weeks if I'm lucky. But that was about seven days ago, I think."

He finally summoned the courage to look back at her, and despite the tears that lingered in the corners of her eyes; he managed to smile, just slightly. "I held on so I could see you. I don't know what I can do, exactly, but Ren-chan, I want to promise you that I'm not going down without a fight. If there's even one shot that I can overcome this, then I'm going to try my hardest. Especially now that you're here with me, helping me along the way."

Ren gave up on holding back her tears as she grabbed him in a fierce embrace, holding him as if she could give him strength with her touch alone. He stiffened at first, worried that she might contract his illness, but soon found his arms wrapping around his younger cousin, and for a few moments more they held each other in silence, no sound audible except their breathing, one heavy with tears, and the other becoming weaker and weaker by the hour.

xXxXx

Later that evening, Chihiro came back from the place she and her seishi had chosen as meeting grounds. She cautiously peeked into the room to see how Ren and her cousin were doing, not wanting to disturb the pair. As it turned out, she realized with a small, sad smile, was that she didn't have anything to worry about. They were both asleep; Ren curled up on the floor next to Shuro's bed. But what made Chihiro smile was their hands that remained locked together even in slumber, both trying to draw on a different sort of strength from the other as they fought their losing battle against an unbeatable foe.

Spotting an extra blanket at the foot of Shuro's futon, Chihiro crept over and removed it, unfolding it and placing it over Ren. She started to leave the room but stopped at the last moment, one hand resting against the doorway. She looked back over her shoulder at the sleeping pair, her heart reaching out to the girl she'd become so attached to in such a short time. "Ren-san, you're wonderful person; but more than that, you're my friend. Just by being that, you've done more than anyone back in my world has ever done." She smiled, closing her eyes and nodding decisively. "Don't worry. I swear I'll find Mitsukake before it's too late. That's a promise... from a friend."

xXxXx

Translation Notes:

1) Ano-"uh/um"

2) Hayaku-"hurry up"

3) baka-"idiot/stupid"

4) Konban wa-"good evening"

**_A/N: _**And that's chapter 11 minna! How did ya like it? Send all the reviews ya want!

Tasuki: Or all the flames ya want!

'Aya-san: _smiles but hits him_ A special thanks to both my betas who've helped me thus far! Arigatou gozaimusu! _huggles them both_

Tasuki: Ow! _rubs sore spot on his head_

Tamahome: At least we found Nuriko before we went off track!

Nuriko: Glad to be found, Tama-chan. But you could have done something to keep me from turning into a gift for that girl…

Chihiro: Oh, I feel so bad for Ren! Her cousin's life is slowly deteriorating and there's nothing we can do about it until we find Mitsukake. But who knows when he'll turn up?

'Aya-san: _glares daggers at curtain, just daring other characters to step out_All sweatdrop

Chiri: See you all in chapter 12 no da!


	12. Unusual Hero

Chapter 12! Oh my goodness, I didn't think I'd get this far! _huggles all her reviewers_ Thank you for sticking with me; I really appreciate the reviews! But don't worry; this is just the beginning. After Hiro-chan finds her remaining seishi, only part of this story will be over! So much more exciting twists are to come! So, sit back and enjoy the easy stuff, more complex things are coming! Now, it's going to get a little heavy in this chapter, so I warned you all.

xXxXx

Sitting at the breakfast table two days later was a silent ordeal. They were only three of them, these days: Chihiro, in her disguise as usual, Ren, and Shuro's mother. The older woman was in the kitchen washing dishes, leaving the two friends alone for the moment.

Lifting her eyes, Chihiro glanced up at her friend. Although her hair was pulled back neatly, Ren's face had grown pale from stress and fatigue – and, Chihiro assumed, from lack of sleep. The light circles of purple under the girl's eyes only confirmed her suspicions. Even now, all she was doing was staring at her half-eaten plate of food.

The miko frowned. 'She isn't eating well, either.' Without turning her head, she eyed the stairs leading to the second floor. 'I guess it's because of Shuro. He must be taking a turn for the worst.'

Ren quietly cleared her throat, rising from the table. Chihiro raised her head, eyes reading concern. "Ren-san?" She spoke gently. "Aren't you going to have a little more? You haven't been eating much recently, and that can't be good for you…"

"I'm not hungry anymore." Ren advanced towards the steps, ascending them without even bothering to look at her friend. This only made Chihiro worry more. Her heart went out to the other girl, having to suffer through this practically by herself. 'Poor Ren… She and Shuro are so close, despite the age difference. Wish I was like that with someone…'

She thought of her home and parents. Sure, she loved them - they were her parents after all, and what reason would she have to dislike them in anyway? She wondered what they were doing right now. Chihiro knew she had been in the book world for about a week. Surely _someone_ would have noticed by now. And her parents would be worried to death for her…

The miko ran a hand through her dark bangs and exhaled deeply, rising from the table and gathering the plates from she and Ren's meals. Chihiro poked her head into the entrance to the kitchen, calling towards the mother of the house. "Tsukasa-san? I, uh, brought the plates back for you."

A woman with graying hair and tired eyes flashed a halfhearted smile at her guest, looking up from a cup she was scrubbing. "Arigatou, Hiro-kun. You didn't have to do that, though; I could have done it myself." She leaned back, as if trying to look out into the dining room past the teenager. "I take it Ren didn't finish her meal again?"

Chihiro shook her head. "No, she didn't. She left just now to go back upstairs with Shuro-san."

The woman sighed heavily, her shoulder slumping visibly at the mention of the young man. She paused in her cleaning for a moment, looking down at the soaking dishes sadly, and somewhat longingly.

Chihiro stopped, remembering that Shuro wasn't just Ren's cousin - he was this woman's son as well. For the first time, Chihiro noticed the same telltale signs of fatigue and sorrow on the Tsukasa's face that showed so plainly on Ren's. The young miko decided to change the subject. "Um, is there anything you need or would like help with, Tsukasa-san?" she offered, hoping to take the older woman's mind away from her son and his illness.

She managed another feeble smile. "I think I can handle the dishes, Hiro-kun. But perhaps you could get me some fresh water from the well behind our house?"

Chihiro nodded, stooping to pick up the bucket that rested nearby and hurrying out. Her dog and seishi comrade joined her almost as soon as she stepped outside, offering some small comfort to the miko's tumultuous thoughts.

xXxXx

"You're a little warm," Ren remarked, speaking in a motherly tone as she swept her hand beneath her cousin's dark bangs.

He chuckled lightly. "Heh, so that's why everything is spinning…"

"That isn't funny, Shuro-chan!" the girl cried, putting her hands on her hips angrily.

"I'm sorry, Ren-chan. You're probably right…" His hand lifted to his forehead to wipe away some perspiration. His eyes looked dull; the light that had always glistened within the orbs was slowly being snuffed out. Not only that, but he seemed particularly weak and subdued today. The cousin that she had grown up with had always so strong and healthy; it was killing Ren to watch his physical condition decrease bit by bit, day by day, slowly but surely, until... until…

"Shuro-chan?" she began, her voice tight with repressed emotions. The girl received only a tired sigh for an answer, but the young man shifted slightly on his bed so he could look at her easier. She went on. "I think maybe you should take a small nap. You're awake all day, and it won't help you much if you lose all your energy…"

"Ren…"

"You're exhausted from staying alert and talking to me…not that I don't want to stay here with you or anything!" she added hastily. "I just don't want to tire you out, that's all." She paused for a moment, lost in her own thoughts, then finally said: "I'll leave you alone so you can get some sleep, okay?"

The brunette forced herself to stand, despite wanting to stay near him as long as possible. She made her way over to the door, glancing back over her shoulder at the dying cousin. She plastered an overly cheerful smile on her face, trying to act stronger than she felt. "I'll be in the next room if you need me, all right? Sweet dreams, Shuro-chan."

She slid the door shut completely, her smile fading the moment the door clicked closed. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and desperately trying to keep the tears at bay, she padded to her room, dragging her feet behind her.

Inside the room, Shuro shook his head, staring up at the ceiling. "Ren… I'm so sorry you have to suffer because of me." He clenched one fist weakly, and somewhat angrily. "I'm dying, dammit… I'm dying and there's nothing anyone can do, nothing they can do except cry, and that's the last thing I want!" He relaxed against his covers and drew a slow, shuddering breath, letting it out bit by bit as the sharp fire in his chest burned at his lungs. "I just wish she wouldn't cry so much… I never meant to cause her so much pain. And at the rate she's going, she's going to get sick too. I wish there was something I could do for her…"

The young man rolled over, turning so he was facing the nearby wall. He closed his eyes, frowning thoughtfully. "And why is she so insistent on getting me to sleep?" he added quietly. "Give it a few more days and I'll be getting all the sleep I could possibly want…"

xXxXx

Chichiri's tail swished back and forth, ears perking up as he heard the approaching footsteps. He also sensed a familiar aura - two familiar auras. A feline grin spread across his face. 'Tasuki never leaves her for a moment if he can help it no da,' he thought with a tiny chuckle, looking towards the nearby bushes. "Tamahome, you can come out no da. It's only Chihiro and Tasuki."

"Finally…" the monkey grumbled, removing himself from the shrub. Chichiri had thought it best if he hid in case others came to draw water. Seeing a monkey and a cat together might seem a bit strange.

"We're here minna!" Tasuki barked, panting somewhat from the long walk in the hot weather.

"We already know that, ahou…" Tamahome replied, earning himself an amber glare. Not in the least bit fazed, he clambered nimbly towards the miko and dog. "So, any changes at the house?"

Chihiro shook her head. "No, everything's the same, more or less. Shuro's trying to hold on, and Ren's starting to look sick as well…"

"That certainly isn't good no da," Chichiri mewed, his eyes reading concern.

The monkey sighed heavily, though his worries were on a much different issue. "Every day that goes by keeps us from completing our mission. That dark force that Taiitsukun spoke of isn't going to just go away, you know, and it doesn't help that we're all stuck here—"

"You _know _how sorry I am about that!" Chihiro broke in sharply, striding over to the well and lowering the mouth of the bucket vehemently into the water. In a moment she lifted it up, turning back towards the small trail. She never once looked at the trio of animals, but her words were obviously directed at the seishi monkey. "I already told you that I thought about the consequences of my actions, and I'm fully aware of them. But she's my friend, and the only one I've ever really had, Tamahome. If there's anything I can do to ease her pain, then I'll do it. No questions asked. I'm sorry that you can't see things my way." And without a backwards glance she marched back the way she had come, one hand gripping the bucket and the other clenched tightly into a fist.

All three stared after her. Tamahome sighed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "I… I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that…"

"We already know what ya were tryin' t'say, Tama, but that don't make it any better," Tasuki snapped, shifting his sharp amber gaze from the retreating miko to his fellow seishi. His next words were punctuated with tiny snarls of anger, as well as a thin line of raised hair on the back of his neck. "That Ren girl's th' only true friend Chihiro's ever had in her life! She's doin' everythin' she can t'make the best decisions as th' Suzaku no miko, but she can't ignore her heart either! An' it don't help things when yer pilin' all the guilt on her!" The dog stood stiffly, padding after his priestess. "Miaka almost got us all killed fer the sake of _her_ friend, ya know, an' you sure as hell weren't objectin' _that time_. Think about _that_."

Tamahome blinked, surprised at the former bandit's protectiveness over Chihiro – and also momentarily struck numb by the memory of Miaka. Chichiri, on the other hand, only smiled after the dog as he vanished into the nearby woods. He next words were more to himself than Tamahome, but they were loud enough for the other seishi to hear – and ponder over. "Tasuki, you have an odd way of showing it, but I think you just might care a lot about Chihiro no da."

xXxXx

After delivering the promised bucket of water to Shuro's mother, Chihiro announced that she was going to take a short walk. Once she was out of the house she stuck her hand into her pocket, feeling the smooth surface of the miniature mirror the Oracle had given her. Taking a breath, she began walking towards the inner parts of the village, almost tripping over her dog as he suddenly darted out in front of her.

"Where're you goin'?" he asked, refusing to move until he received an answer.

"I'm going into town; where else would I be going?" Chihiro snapped, still angry from her recent conversation with her monkey seishi.

Tasuki winced at the sharpness of her tone, but continued blocking the path. "By yerself?"

"I'll be fine by myself, Gen-chan. I'll be around lots of people so there's nothing to worry about."

He hesitated, pawing at the dirt reluctantly – and somewhat nervously. "…Well, still, I'll go with ya."

She blinked in surprise, her angry mood melting like ice in the face of the seishi's surprising kindness and concern. She recovered quickly, shaking her head in protest. "N-no, that's all right, Gen-chan. You don't have to do that. The last time I went into town with you, we couldn't get away from all the kids who wanted to pet the 'cute little puppy,' remember?" Tasuki grimaced at the recollection. Chihiro's face grew serious. "And I have to find Mitsukake soon, for Shuro's sake as well as Ren's, so I absolutely can't get sidetracked." Her voice quieted. "I can't let him die, Gen-chan. She'd be heartbroken…"

Silence reigned between them for a long time until Chihiro finally gathered herself together and walked towards the market, leaving the animal seishi alone. Tasuki watched her until she was out of sight, then turned and plodded back to the house to await her return.

"I tol' ya not t'call me that…" he grumbled, laying his head down over his folded front legs.

xXxXx

Toroki walked alone, as he always did, with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slightly slouched. He sighed, glancing up at the infuriatingly bright sky. 'Another day that I go on living…' He stopped momentarily, gazing with interest at a nearby display of knives for sale. He was fascinated by the small, deadly blades, already owning several that he hid beneath his clothing. It wasn't fanciness that he valued, though, but the sharpness of the blades. 'Some might be all dolled up on the outside, but they cut like shit…'

He paused in his train of thought, looking over his shoulder to find himself staring at the same kid from before, the girly-looking one with the long black hair. 'There goes a real pretty-boy if I ever saw one,' he remarked to himself dryly. 'And not only that,' he added with a frown, 'but the people he's with really look like trouble. I better not stick around.' Focusing his attention back on the knives, he didn't even notice when Chihiro and her shady followers faded away into the crowd.

xXxXx

"Hmm…let's see," the disguised miko reached into her pocket, extracting the Oracle's mirror. She could have sworn she had felt it vibrate a second ago, or pulse, or something. Once exposing it to the daylight, she gazed into it, finding a crimson symbol staring back at her. Her forehead wrinkled as she studied it, trying to remember the symbol from some of her kanji lessons – lesson she had never paid much attention in. After a moment, she sighed despairingly. 'If only Chichiri were here… he could read this kanji easily… or at least, a lot better than I could...'

An icy chill passed through her. Something didn't seem right. It was too quiet. Unconsciously she slipped the mirror back into her pocket, looking around to get her bearings. With a jerk of surprise, she realized she was no longer in the crowded market but in a deserted alley. She forced down her sense of panic, trying to remain calm despite her growing sense of unease. She'd just been too deep in thought to notice where she was going, that's all. She only needed to retrace her steps.

"No problem, I'll just turn around and—" Two hands grabbed her arms from behind, holding her tightly as she cried out in alarm. In a moment, several smirking faces appeared in front of her, their arms crossed over their chests menacingly.

"What, is lookin' in the mirror so important to ya that ya didn't see us comin' up behind ya?" someone from behind her – her captor, she assumed – sneered.

"Nice piece of jewelry ya got there, pretty-boy," another mocked, yanking it from her wrist in one quick jerk.

Chihiro's heart nearly stopped.

The disguise disappeared, revealing her true, female form. They all took cautious steps backward, caught off guard by the sudden change. The miko took that moment to glance around, desperately seeking an escape route. They were regaining their composure, now, and the looks on their faces were anything but comforting. She had to get away!

The tallest one folded his arms, eyeing her. Her chest tightened as she felt his eyes roam unashamedly over her figure, causing her stomach to lurch in fear and disgust. "So, yer really a girl, huh? What're ya doing walking around in that disguise? Lookin' for a good time maybe, missie?"

Her mind froze in terror, only one thought racing through her brain. She had to escape – _she_ _had to escape!_

Chihiro wrenched out of her captor's hold, attempting to slip through the group but they closed around her, pinning her into a small circle. Someone grabbed her arms again, jerking them roughly behind her head; she tried to scream, but earned only a slap for her troubles. Her struggling did nothing, and her squirming only succeeded in the one behind her tightening his grip. She flinched against the painful hold, but her eyes were focused forward as the one who appeared to be the leader approached her. And he didn't seem interested in talking. Her entire body shook with terror; hot tears sprang to her green eyes. "No…" she managed to whisper, voice trembling with barely suppressed panic.

The leader grinned darkly. "Don't be so scared, little girl. Just do what we say and we'll let you go, okay?" His fingertips roamed from her neck, tracing an invisible line down to her collarbone and the opening of her shirt, then trailing towards her breasts. Chihiro squeaked in protest, but no one paid her any attention. If anything, it seemed to excite them even more.

'What do I do! Oh, God, what do I do! Someone… someone please… tasukete!'

xXxXx

Chichiri looked up suddenly, sensing... something. His whiskers twitched, but he knew the feeling wasn't coming from anything nearby. It was a different sort of sensation, one that he hadn't experienced in a long, long time… "Tamahome-kun!" he called up to the monkey, who was currently sulking in a nearby tree. "Did you... did you feel that no da?"

Tamahome poked his head out from the branches, a tiny frown on his face. "You can sense it too? It's coming from nearby, only it isn't really _nearby_…"

"No," the cat agreed. "It's…"

xXxXx

"It's coming from the city!" Hotohori murmured to himself in his stall. He moved nervously in the cramped space, desperately wishing for some kind of escape route. The last time he had felt this was in another lifetime, but he hadn't forgotten it. He didn't think he'd ever forget it. "This feeling…"

xXxXx

"The feeling of danger!" Nuriko cried, fluttering around his cage as fast as his lovely wings would take him. He knew he couldn't get out, but he had to keep trying. Because he'd felt this feeling before, too. And he knew what it was. He knew where the danger was coming from. "It must be…"

xXxXx

"Chihiro!" Tasuki sprang to his feet, paws slapping against the ground as he followed the smell of fear and panic – the smell that wasn't really a smell; the smell that was coming directly from his priestess. "Please Chihiro…" he yipped desperately as he sprinted towards the city, using his seishi speed to its full power. "Please be all right!"

xXxXx

The soft sound of someone whistling a cheerful tune broke into the harsh atmosphere, making everyone turn to look in the direction of the new noise.

It was a boy. He was walking along with his hands folded behind his head, engaged deeply in his invented tune until he noticed the small crowd ahead and stopped abruptly, letting his hands fall to his sides. "Well, what's going on here?" He glanced at the group, noticing Chihiro in the midst of them, and frowned. 'I thought for sure that that was a really feminine guy, but…oh well.' Out loud, he responded with: "Giving defenseless girls a hard time, I see?"

The miko's tears ceased for a moment, and she watched the newcomer with hope and interest. His hair was shaded so richly that it actually looked like the seasoning cinnamon, and his exotic green eyes held an air of mystery to them. He was tall, over six feet she guessed, and held himself in a way that accentuated that height and exuded confidence. But despite his aura of surety he still seemed young; they might even be the same age. 'Who…is this boy?'

"It's none o' your business, kid. Get outta here and leave us to our, ah… game."

His eyes narrowed a little, but that a cocky smirk remained on his face. He casually brought a finger up to his right ear, scratching it as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Look, just so you morons know, I'm not scared of a few perverted thugs, so let's save ourselves some pain and strike a deal, okay? You let the girl go, and I promise not to beat all of your sorry asses from here 'til next week. Sound good?" He added a friendly wink at the end of his short speech, stoking the fires of anger beneath the group of men.

One of them chuckled, though it held no mirth. "Look kid, we don't feel like killin' anyone today, so if you want to save _your_ sorry self, you'll leave us alone. Sound good?" he said, mimicking the youth's own words and tagging a little wink of his own.

The young man threw his head back and laughed. "When will you idiots get it that I'm not scared? And to be honest, I don't think you could kill me even if you tried."

A few stepped away from Chihiro and towards the stranger, surrounding him as he spoke. "Oh, no?"

Chihiro looked to one of the men whose back was facing her and the blood drained from her face when she saw him unsheathing a dagger from his belt. But before she could warn the boy, the thug darted towards him, bringing the weapon down into his chest and shoving him against the tall wooden fence, pinning him there. Chihiro cried out and looked away, unable to watch the foolish young man – and her last chance at salvation – cruelly die beneath the blade.

The one that had stabbed him still had his hand around the dagger's handle, looking into the boy's face, almost at eyelevel. "You shoulda just left like we told ya, dumbass."

But to his shock, the boy continued to smirk, calmly looking down at his chest where the knife was embedded and, clasping his hand around the other man's, pulling it out. There wasn't a drop of blood on the weapon, nor any pouring from what should have been a deadly wound. The man made a sound of choked astonishment as the teenager sailed his knee into his attacker's stomach, then he fell to the ground, gasping for air. Chihiro turned just in time to see the man go down; she, like the others, gaped in disbelief.

"Okay, first of all, you're holding the knife all wrong!" the strange young man expertly tossed it into the air, catching it by its handle again and pointing it towards the half-conscious man. "And second, you and your lot are the dumbasses around here, not me!"

With those last words his pupils dilated and he seemed to become an entirely different person, aggression rather than coolness radiating from his body. He pulled a knife out of his shirt, flipping it so the hilt was facing upwards, then darted into the midst of them, dealing out blows too fast for any of the street thugs to see, much less react to; those that couldn't escape were sent swiftly into unconsciousness. And the young man wasn't about to let anyone escape.

In what seemed like mere seconds he straightened from the melee, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his hair, the other still clasping a knife. He turned a little, his sharp gaze landing on the two remaining men – the ones still pinning Chihiro to the nearby wall. They'd been too caught up in the sudden battle to think of releasing her, but at the sight of the boy's eyes they immediately wished they had.

One of his lips curled upwards into a warning snarl. Even Chihiro felt a little frightened; she hadn't expected to find herself looking into such a pitiless face – it seemed like the face of a killer, not a savior. "Are you going to release her, or would you rather I test…" He held up one of the daggers, its steel gleaming against the rays of the sun. "The _sharp_ edge of my new weapon…?"

That did the trick. They threw the miko towards him and bolted. The young man watched the two beat a hasty retreat down the alley and snorted disdainfully, muttering something about their cowardice. All of a sudden, he noticed a dim sparkle flashing from one of the running men's pockets. His eyes shone with curiosity and mischief; anything that sparkled interested him.

He looked down at Chihiro, who had sunk to the ground, sobbing with relief. His voice softened a little, but he was unable to keep the dangerous edge out of it. "You stay here. I'll be right back, okay?"

She glanced up and nodded, blinking when she saw his eyes: they were cat-like, the pupils nothing but thin slits as he rushed after her attackers. More than that, there was something dangerous in them, and something else, too… something distant and painful. His eyes were too old for his age, she realized suddenly.

The Suzaku priestess watched him as he dashed down the alley, after the last two attackers. What was he after?

Well, it was none of her business. Instinctively she felt her wrist, searching for the familiar piece of jewelry. It had become a nervous habit of hers, but her eyes widened when all she felt was her skin. She looked down at her arm and saw nothing. Looking around she could see no trace of her disguising bracelet.

"Oh, no…"

xXxXx

Shuro had slipped into unconsciousness again, a cool cloth placed over his forehead. It was the second time he had drifted off since she had come back from taking a nap herself. He lay so still even while breathing that several times Ren felt she had to check to make sure he was still alive. She knew he was going to die soon, but that didn't mean she couldn't fight against it with all her might.

The shutters rattled loudly, yanking her away from her inner musings. She watched them curiously, and again they clattered and shook. Puzzled, she stood from her half-kneeling position and tiptoed over to them so as not to wake her cousin. She was surprised he hadn't already stirred at the noises; the shutters were making quite a racket.

She opened them slowly and peered outside as light gradually filtered into the room. Her eyes widened at what she saw. Just outside the window was a large black crow with piercing soot-black eyes. 'What could it be doing banging on the shutters for…?'

"Shut those windows now!"

She wheeled around just in time to see her aunt dash across the room, pushing her aside and slamming the wooden doors shut, latching them tightly. No doubt she had heard the noises as well, and come up to see about the trouble. But after the outside light was banished, the bird still persisted at pecking at the shutters, cawing loudly as its claws lightly scratched against the wood.

"W-what in the name of…!" Ren gasped in horror, eyes fixed on the closed window.

The older woman drew away from it, looking back at her niece. "I'm sorry for frightening you earlier, dear, but I couldn't let that thing get in here. I'm sure it means to… to get at my son."

For a long second Ren just stood there, thinking about what her aunt had said, trying to understand what she meant. Crows were commonly seen feeding off the corpses of dead animals; some said they could even sense death before it came – that they were messengers _of_ death, in fact…

Ren's pale face whipped in the direction of Shuro's still form as she rushed over to him and started shaking him urgently. Her cousin couldn't be dead! He was awake just a few moments before talking with her, but had fallen asleep soon afterwards. She could have sworn she saw him breathing quietly. That's right; he had just fallen asleep – _just fallen asleep_! He wasn't for the crows yet, not now and not for a long, long time. "Shuro! Shuro-chan! Wake up! Shuro-chan, please!"

He moaned; eyebrows drawing together in confusion at the rude awakening. "Wha… Ren…?"

"Oh, thank the gods…" She heaved a long, relieved sigh and lowered herself down next to him on the futon, hugging him tightly as her hand lightly grasped the fabric of his white robe. "Thank the gods, he isn't gone." She whispered it again, laying a thankful kiss on his pale cheek. "He isn't gone…"

xXxXx

"Heh, getting that this from those guys was easy…" the young man tucked a silver bracelet into his pocket, wandering back to the girl he had saved. He spotted her ahead where he had left her, but she was looking around for something. And she looked scared, almost panicky.

"Hey, uh… what'cha looking for?" he asked, now only a few yards away from her.

She whipped around, searching the area and just managing to cry out: "My bracelet! I can't find it anywhere!" She felt more tears springing to her eyes; if she lost that thing… "Oh, what'll I do! I have to find it or I can't go back…!"

"Uhm, when you say bracelet, do ya mean this one?" the boy retrieved the item from his pocket and held it up, jumping back in surprise as she darted forward almost as quickly as _he_ could move.

"Yes! Please! I want it back! I _need_ it!" she begged, hands clasped in front of her.

He grinned. "Well… sure, you can have it back…"

Chihiro sighed in relief. "Oh thank you so mu-"

"…_If_ you can get it from me." The girl looked up, blinking at the sudden statement. The boy grinned, bobbing one hand in a teasing wave. "Jaa." He darted off down the alley, the bracelet extended above his head and well out of her reach.

"Huh? HEY!" She leaped up, running after him. "Come back here! This is no time to play dumb games! It rightfully belongs to me and I want it back now! Come _back_, you stupid boy!"

"You know, this 'stupid boy' just saved your virginity, and he does have a name." Seeing her anger only increased the width of his smile, and the speed of his jog. "It's Toroki, and it's a pleasure to meet you." He paused to let her catch up, making a small bow in the process. He had almost forgotten how much fun it was to tease girls. "I told you: if you can catch me, you can have it b-ACK!" Chihiro leapt into the air, tackling him to the ground and holding him there with a grip surprisingly strong for her small stature.

"Give it back! Give it back _now_!" she demanded hotly, determined to keep her hands locked tightly around his waist until he surrendered her property.

Meanwhile, Toroki was fighting to breathe. "Okay, _okay_! Here, here, take the damn thing! Now leggo! You're crushing my ribcage!"

Scowling, she snatched the offered item from his hand. She also took her time getting off of his chest, wanting him to suffer every inch of the way. As she stood, the rich girl in her took over; she sniffed, looking away from him disdainfully as she slipped the silver armlet back onto her wrist. "What you did was quite discourteous!"

The Byakko seishi turned over onto his back, inhaling air as quickly and deeply as he could. "Geez! I was just having a little fun with you. You girls are all th…" He blinked. "What the hell? You're a guy!"

Now it was Chihiro's turn to blush. "Oops. I, uh…"

"What in the world is going on here?" he cried. "One minute you're a girl and then I look away for a second and you're a guy!" He paused, frowning a little. "Well, even though your voice sounds rather feminine…" His eyes unintentionally strayed down to her chest. 'Looks flat, and he's obviously a guy, but I could've sworn that…'

"AH! Stop looking at me there you pervert!" Chihiro delivered a kick to the center of his chest, knocking him back to the ground.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I wasn't – doing it – for sexual reasons!" Toroki gasped, once again fighting for breath.

A familiar bark sounded nearby, saving the boy teen from further beatings. Turning, Chihiro saw the orange blur running towards her. "Tasuki?" she asked in disbelief.

The dog ground to a halt a few feet from her, looking at her nervously. His expression changed suddenly – he almost looked embarrassed - and he turned towards the young man, yipping in surprise and recognition. "Oi, 'Roki!" the Suzaku warrior exclaimed, bounding over to Byakko's servant. "How ya been! Shit, ya look like ya ain't aged a bit since th' last time I saw ya!"

Chihiro blinked. 'He…He isn't even _worried_ about me?' The girl gritted her teeth as a tiny anger vein popped out on her forehead. She had nearly had, had – had _that_ done to her, and her seishi was happily barking away at someone he used to know in the past? She would _kill_ him later for this!

"Aww…cute!" Toroki scooped the puppy into his arms, cuddling it close to his chest. Chihiro pressed her hands over her mouth to keep from laughing as she watched Tasuki squirm, his expression turning from excitement to extreme irritation.

"Ahou!" he screeched, though it only came out in strangled yelps. "Put me down! Lemme go, dammit!"

"Your dog is very squirmy," Toroki grinned.

He set the orange puppy down, and the dog seishi immediately turned to glare daggers at him. "So much fer a heartfelt reunion," he growled under his breath.

"Funny; I could say the same thing," Chihiro muttered, sending the puppy one of her most dangerous death glares.

xXxXx

Translation Notes: 

minna-"everyone"

ahou-"jerk/moron"

tasukete-"help me"

Jaa-something like "bye!" or "see ya!"

A/N: Yes, I know. I borrowed the last name Tsukasa from the manga Ayashi no Ceres because I couldn't think of a good last name. At least I admitted it instead of plagiarizing. So I better not get any reviews saying I did. _bows_ Anyway, I hope you guys all liked my chapter!

Chihiro: I was so scared! Those sick perverts attacking me like that… _shudders_

Tamahome: Good thing Toroki got there when he did!

Tasuki: Yeah, but the moron's so dense! _referring to the huggling incident_

'Aya-san: You mean like someone else? _sniggers when he glares at her_ I personally thought it was funny.

Hotohori: Yes, it certainly proved amusing, to say the least. _chuckles_

Nuriko: I nearly died of laughter watching behind the scenes! Just to see Tasu-chan being cuddled like that… _winks at the bandit jokingly_ Going off the subject, I wonder why that crow was trying to get in at Ren's cousin Shuro?

Chihiro: _shrugs_ I don't know, but… _giggling starts up again _The expression you had when you were hugged killed, Gen-chan!

Tasuki: _tenses up_ I tol' ya not to call me that!

Chiri: _trying to keep peace _Okay okay, we won't call you that anymore…'Gen-chan' no da. _Grins; turns and runs as Tasuki comes after him cussing wildly with a flaming tessan_ Daaa! See you all in chapter 13 na no da!


	13. So Little Time

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Fushigi Yugi! However, the idea is mine, as are my OCs—Chihiro, Ren, Toroki, and Shuro—so hands off! The rest belongs to the ever-wonderful Yu Watase-sama! On with the story!

xXxXx

Chihiro stopped, remembering what had occurred moments prior to her dog seishi arriving. Turning to her rescuer she received his attention, almost as if he knew she were going to ask him something. Taking a step closer to the taller boy, she made a gesture indicating at his chest. "Hey, um, weren't…didn't they hurt you when they…?"

Toroki blinked, wondering what she could be talking about. Suddenly it all seemed to connect, and he smiled. "Oh that. I'm all right, not a scratch on me."

"But…I saw them stab you with—"

He interrupted her. "I don't have to worry about wounds like that," he said, tugging at the opening of his shirt just enough so she could see there was no damage done. "See? Told'ja there was nothing to fuss about."

And sure enough, there was no blood, not even a gash on his lightly tanned flesh. But how could that be? She had been there; she had seen the weapon strike him…how could he not even have so much as a mark on his body, so much as a stain on his shirt?

"But the knife… Didn't they hurt you? I could have sworn that…" Timidly reaching out her fingers she touched the skin. It wasn't an illusion - there really _was _nothing wrong with him. But that just didn't make sense to the miko.

As her fingers brushed his skin, Toroki, unaccustomed to another's touch, winced. Carrying on a conversation with someone was strange enough for the solitary youth, but this was just too much. His hand snapped up, catching her wrist just below her bracelet. Eyes squinted thoughtfully; his opposite hand reached over and began to slide it over the pale skin, up over her hand and before Chihiro could pull away the disguise evaporated, revealing her true form.

Toroki eyed her suspiciously, swinging the circlet around on one outstretched finger. "Awright, now it's my turn to ask you something: What th'heck are you doing walking around with this bewitched bracelet on, and why are you cross dressing?" He leaned a little closer, raising and eyebrow and muttering: "You're not…gay, are you?"

Her eyes widened at the blunt question. "No! I most certainly am not, thank you very much! And I would like my jewelry back now…" She made a grab for it but he held it up out of her reach.

"Tell me why you're pretending to be a guy and I might give it back," he stated simply.

'Oh great…' she thought. 'Now he knows I'm really a girl! I need my bracelet back, or I can't go back to Ren's relative's home…but he might spill the beans about me being in disguise…what do I do now?'

Toroki waved a hand before her face. "Hello, Konan to…what _is_ your name?"

"I don't see why I should give my name to a complete stranger," Chihiro snapped, folding her arms over her chest and looking away.

At this, the cinnamon-haired teen chuckled and smirked. "C'mon I already told you mine." He bowed formally towards the young miko, peeking up at her through his bangs. "It's Toroki, remember, that nice boy that saved your life?"

The girl frowned reluctantly, but returned the bow out of politeness, sighing. "My name is Chihiro, but I go by Hiroshi." She straightened rather stiffly, still unsure if she could trust this boy.

Grinning, Toroki straightened as well. "Now, tell me what you're doin' spelled to look like a guy."

Again, she grew quiet, recalling the Oracle's words: she wasn't suppoed to reveal her identity as the priestess of Suzaku. She hadn't even told Ren about it, though for much different reasons. "I…I'm afraid I can't tell you…"

"And why not? What's so secret that you can't say what it is? It can't be all that interesting, can it?" The tall young man studied her as she fidgeted with her hands, wringing them together a bit nervously. He noticed how every now and then her green eyes would shift to meet her dog's. 'Curious behavior…' he mused, shifting his weight into one hip as his eyes stayed glued to the girl. Even more curious was the way the canine seemed to meet her stare, as if he understood...

"I'm still waiting, missie," Toroki persisted, casually leaning back against the wooden fence, grinning as she made a quick attempt to snatch the bracelet back. He was quicker though, moving it just out of her reach once more.

Chihiro bowed her head, shaking it stubbornly. No, she couldn't tell him. Even if he had just saved her life, she didn't know if she could trust him. What if he was associated with the enemy they were working against? If he knew she was the priestess of Suzaku, he might report back to his superior…or even kill them all, perhaps. At any rate, she couldn't take that chance. She opened her mouth to refuse an explanation, but stopped at the last moment. Her second fear struck her. If she didn't tell him, he might not give her back her bracelet. She would lose her disguise, and then what might Ren think? No, she could never know the truth that might destroy their trust and friendship. Because what if... what if she didn't want to be friends with Chihiro when she learned the truth? What if Ren felt too betrayed to care about her anymore? Tears burned her eyes at the thought.

The Byakko seishi watched her intently. Her dark bangs hid her eyes, and her thoughts. And what might she be deliberating in that pretty little head of hers? What was the big deal with all the secrecy anyway?

A quiet gasp worked its way passed his lips at what his sharp eyes detected. A solitary teardrop slid down her cheek from her concealed left eye.

His expression softened, and though his eyes still watched her it looked as if he were staring through her, gazing at something else. Gazing, perhaps, at a past memory…?

"Here." Chihiro looked up at her rescuer, surprised to see his outstretched hand before her, holding out her bracelet. She lifted her head to look him in the face, only to find it turned away, staring down the alley path. "Sorry for making you cry…here's your…thing." As soon as she took it he stuffed his hands back into his pockets. "I'll be seeing you around, 'Hiroshi.' Ja ne…"

Spinning on his heel he marched away, shoulders slouched lazily. Chihiro stared after him a bit, still grasping her jewelry. A small smile crossed her face. "Arigatou, Toroki-san..."

xXxXx

Nuriko sighed, wings fluttering stiffly to show his agitation. For days, he had been cramped in his small confines. He couldn't really complain since that girl had let him out in her room every so often to stretch his wings, but that was back at her own home. Now that she was here, all she ever did was stay with her cousin in his room. He felt neglected…well, not entirely; the girl was still _feeding_ him, at least.

"I'm glad that she takes the time to do that much," he grumbled aloud. A vein popped out on his forehead. "But being cooped up in this cage from day to day is getting really irritating!" One of his insect legs or arms flew out before him, punching one of the bars of his enclosure in frustration. He blinked, realizing that he had bent it aside. Edging himself forward, the violet butterfly stuck his head out, looking around; his black glossy antennae twitched. No one was coming…and the window was open. A smile spread across his face. He carefully maneuvered around the bars until he could stand freely on the desk -- and _outside _his cage.

"This is soooo much better!" he exclaimed, stretching his beautiful wings, the sunlight reflecting off the vibrant florescent coloration.

xXxXx

Shuro had slept straight through breakfast, and on into the afternoon. It was a common occurrence these days, though—the sickness was spreading rapidly, sapping at his energy more and more every day. His fever was worsening to almost dangerous levels, and even when he wasn't shaking with chills his skin seemed to be on fire. His chest rose and fell in weak spasms as he fought for air, his hands twitching involuntarily at his sides while his eyelids fluttered with suppressed pain.

Ren placed another blanket over his shuddering shoulders, hoping to suppress the shivers that wracked his frail form. Watching him now, her eyes misted over with tears. He was slowly sliding towards infinity, and it was killing her to watch it.

"Not much longer…" she whispered, voice cracking as she fought to control her emotions. She frowned at the window. No doubt that stupid bird was still out there, just waiting to get in. Well, as long as she was there, it would not get in. Not now, not ever. She would not allow this messenger of death to come and take him away from her. Ren laid down next to him, placing a hand over his as she did so. "Don't go yet," she whispered as he shivered again. "Don't leave me here alone…_please_."

xXxXx

"So…yer okay, ain't ya?" Tasuki glanced up at his miko and master, trotting along side her. Realizing he must be sounding like a softie he straightened up as much as he could on four legs, assuming what was supposed to be a manly stance. "Not that I'm concerned or nothin'—"

"Oh?" The exclamation caught the canine off guard. "So you weren't worried about me at all! Is that it? Why did you even bother to show up while I was having my lovely little conversation with that…that…" Chihiro decided that it would not be lady-like to use an expletive. "With Toroki-san." She growled it out, uncharacteristically shoving her hands into her pockets as she walked along, avoiding eye contact with her dog. "And even when you do meet up with us, you go bonkers over him like you were old friends!"

The dog sighed. "Well, we sorta are, but I don' understand why he still looks an' sounds th'same… It's had t'have been years…an' he ain't changed at all!"

"That isn't the point Gen-chan!"

"Then what th'hell're ya tryin' t'say!"

"Oh forget it!" Chihiro yelled, glancing up just in time to see a familiar cat bounding toward them.

Chichiri looked a bit worried and relieved all at once when he saw them, though he frowned a little at the frustrated expressions on both their faces. 'Well, they _seem _all right…' the former monk thought after a quick glance with both eyes and magic, 'But both of them look really uncomfortable no da…'

The cat opened his mouth to speak, but Chihiro broke the silence first. "Hi, Chichiri. Don't worry, we're both fine." She walked past him, not making eye contact with him or her dog. "I think I'll just go up to my room now…"

Chichiri cast an inquisitive look at Tasuki, who shrugged, looking away.

Chihiro walked into the house, slipping off her shoes before heading towards the stairs. "I'm back, Tsukasa-san," she called into the kitchen, making a beeline for her room. She really just wanted to be alone, right now.

The woman's voice stopped her halfway. "Hiro-kun, on your way up, would you mind bringing down a few dishes that Ren took with her into her room?"

All she wanted to do was lay on her bed and sulk, but she reminded herself that they were letting her stay free of charge. And at least the day hadn't been a _total _waste, since the mirror, earlier, had... 'That's right! Before I was attacked, the mirror gave off a red symbol! But I couldn't read it.'

"Hiro-kun, did you hear me?"

She closed her eyes, turning to continue on her way. "So much for getting some time alone," she muttered to herself, then raised her voice a bit and called: "Hai, Tsukasa-san. I'll bring them right down."

xXxXx

The miko in disguise tapped on the door to her friend's room. "Ren-san? Are you there?" Receiving no response, but hearing something moving around inside, Chihiro opened the door a crack and peeked in. "Ren-san, it's me. I just came to take some dishes back down to…"

A small sparrow was flying around the room wildly, trying to nab its next meal -- which happened to be a vibrantly colored butterfly.

"Nuriko!" she gasped, hurrying inside and shutting the door. "How did you get out?" she cried, glancing at the cage as she dashed to her seishi's aid, noting that the bars were bent out on one side. "Shoo, shoo!" Chihiro waved her hands out in front of her, trying to separate the bird and its prey.

Nuriko weaved out of the way of its searching beak, barely avoiding getting caught up in one of its wings. His mind moved as frantically as his body, trying to think of someplace, somewhere out of the reach of that monstrous bird. An idea flashed through his mind... but would it work? There was only one way to find out. He squeaked, swaying again as he flew. 'Well…here goes nothing!' Abruptly stopping his flight, the butterfly spun around and delivered a sharp knock to the bird's bill. The animal squawked in surprise, opening its mouth to take a bite of its next meal…and that's when Nuriko let him have it.

The insect seishi moved quickly, avoided the beak and nailed a punch right between the bird's eyes. That did it. The sparrow wobbled, disoriented, and flew around in circles and slamming into things as it tried to find its way out of the room—and far away from the fighting insect.

Chihiro was in full-blown panic, trying to get the small sparrow out of there as quick as she could. She didn't want Ren, who might be awake in the next room, to come over and catch her, a "boy" intruding into a girl's room. That would be very awkward…and the unstable bird flopping around wouldn't help things either. But she didn't have to worry long. Nuriko flew after the sparrow, intent on making it pay for trying to devour him and steering it towards the open window.

Reaching out with both hands, Chihiro quickly cupped them around her seishi, making sure not to squish him as the bird flew away, chattering and smashing into everything on its way. The miko sighed, hands still encasing Nuriko, whose wings fluttered now to cool the area around him. And, she could have been imagining things, but Chihiro could have sworn that she had seen a light red glow emitting from the butterfly, but it soon faded before she could be certain.

"Nuriko, here, I need to put you back in your cage so I can take you outside. We all need to have a talk…" The miko carefully placed him inside his home; bending the bars back into place as best she could, though they were still a bit crooked. "At least it looks a little better now," she said with a sigh, grasping the small cage's handle and carrying Nuriko quietly from the room, first remembering to grab the plate on Ren's desk for her aunt like she had promised. She could take the time to do _that_ much for the family, at least.

xXxXx

"So, you say that the mirror revealed another symbol earlier today no da?" The cat's expression remained the same as Chihiro relayed the events leading up to the kanji appearing in the mirror - although she left out some of the more uncomfortable events. "And you say it was in an alley that it appeared?" One of his feline eyebrows arched suspiciously. "What were you doing in town all by yourself no da?"

Tasuki opened his mouth to give his own answer, but was silenced with an icy glare given by the girl. Chihiro herself offered no response. The former monk noticed, but pretended to ignore it, since his miko quite obviously wanted to keep something to herself. "Well, anyway, were you able to read what it said, Chihiro no da?"

She shook her head sadly. "Iie, gomen, Chichiri. I didn't know what it said. All I remember was it was really complicated…"

"Sayin' that it was complicated won' really help 'im figure it out, Chihiro—"

"You don't think I know that!" she snapped, causing the dog to fall over backwards, and unfortunately, land on Tamahome.

The monkey waved his hands madly trying to free himself from underneath his comrade. "Get off of me!"

Hotohori swished his tail irritably behind him, using a hoof to push Tasuki off of his fellow seishi. The dog rolled to a stop next to the miko, watching as Chichiri trotted over to her. Placing his two front paws on her one knee, he looked up into the mirror as she explained.

"I think it was shaped like this in one area…" she replied, drawing an invisible line in the mirror as he watched. "And it had a little something near the bottom, but I don't remember the rest. Gomen ne, Chichiri…"

He shook his head. "Its alright no da. We'll just have to keep looking."

Nuriko fluttered in his cage as a small breeze blew by. "But the longer we take, the less likely we'll be able to save Shuro." He sighed, resting on the floor of his small, circular prison. "Earlier today Ren came back into her room before Chihiro did." His wings drooped and he looked down, as if he were replaying the scene in his mind. "She walked in with her head lowered and then fell down on her bed. It took me a moment to realize that she was crying because she was muffling it with her pillow." He looked back over at the small group. "It was so hard to watch…"

Tasuki's eyes widened, but not from Nuriko's story. He was pointing at the glass of the mirror as it started to pulse red. "Hey!" The light faded and took shape in a moment, revealing another character.

"The kanji for 'grief'…Mitsukake na no da!" Chichiri exclaimed, whirling and searching for signs of another nearby animal.

Tamahome did a quick scan as well, eyes freezing at one spot on the ground where he saw a shadow moving. Something was flying overhead. "It's that crow!" he shouted, pointing upwards at the sky. Thinking it heard something; the bird looked down on the assembly of animals and, puzzled, swooped around to get another look at them. With her hopes rising, Chihiro slipped off her bracelet, calling up into the sky.

"Hello there! Tell me, are you one of the Suzaku seven?"

"I was in my past life," a deep, smooth voice replied, ruffling his feathers as he watched the girl carefully. The bird landed on a nearby branch of a small tree. His voice took the miko by surprise: it seemed too deep for such a small animal.

"Well whether yer a creepy-lookin' bird or not, yer a seishi in this life too!" Tasuki piped up, making the crow hop back slightly in surprise.

The bird raised a curious eyebrow. "I know that voice..." he murmured. "Who are you, exactly?"

Chihiro went to her knees, suddenly feeling dizzy. But it wasn't from pain: it was from pure relief. "I'll explain later," she shouted up at him, then hurriedly went on. "Mitsukake, you have the ability to heal physical wounds, right?" A nod. "Then please, could I ask you a favor? I need you to heal my friend's cousin." She clasped her hands. "I don't know what he has, but each day he gets worse and worse and it's killing him, and hurting my friend so badly…"

"I know the person you speak of." The crow readjusted his glossy black wings. "I can't get in to help him. They keep the windows locked so I can't cure him…and soon it will be too late to save him."

Chihiro stood, sliding her bracelet back onto her wrist. "Oh no, it won't," she said in a determined voice, glancing back towards the house. 'Ren…I don't want to hurt you, but if I don't help, I'll never forgive myself! Please…have faith in me as a friend!'

xXxXx

Shuro's eyes were closed and his face tight with pain as he tried to hold back the fire that had unexpectedly exploded in his chest. Normally, it lasted only a moment or so, but this one wasn't going away. If anything, it was only getting worse. His chest rose and fell irregularly as he clung to life, clutching Ren's hand as if it was the only lifeline he possessed. On the other end of the connection, the brunette dabbed at his perspiring face with a damp cloth; her face was pale with panic. 'Please...please hold on, Shuro! Don't let the pain take you…!'

Letting out an exhausted moan, Shuro's arched back dropped back to the mattress. He panted heavily, head turned on the pillow so that his cheek came into contact with the material. "It keeps…getting worse…" His voice was no more than a hoarse whisper; eyelids fluttering closed and to conceal his tired, misted brown eyes. Ren patted his hand, moisture collecting in her own orbs.

"It's all right…it's all over for now, Shuro-chan." She brushed back some of his bangs. "Rest now. Save your strength."

He nodded weakly, falling asleep almost as if at her bidding. Ren watched him for a moment, placing her hand palm down on the center of his chest. His heart…it was so weak. She covered her mouth, smothering a small sob that had escaped her throat.

A small knock came at the door, giving her a start. "Wh-who is it?" she asked quietly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she turned to face the door.

"Ren-san, it's me."

"Hiro-san? Come in."

The door slid open and "Hiroshi" walked in, sitting down beside her friend. "How is he?" she asked, eyeing Ren's pale face with concern.

The other girl shook her head, looking down at the sleeping form once more. "No better. In fact it's worse... much worse." She paused. "He's going to leave me soon, I can tell, but…but I don't want him to go… I just can't stand it..."

"Ren-san…" Chihiro trailed off as the other girl looked up at her, big blue eyes glistening with tears. "Oh, Ren-san…"

"I really…I really can't stand it, Hiro-san!" she cried, burying her face in the other girl's shirt and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Ren-san…" Chihiro's mind was racing, feeling apprehensive about what she was going to do next, but knowing it had to be done. In the end, even if it hurt their friendship, she was doing this to _help_ the girl, not hurt her. She had to keep remembering that. Taking a deep breath, she asked: "Ren-san, do you trust me?"

She glanced up at her friend, only half paying attention to her. Her eyes kept darting down to her cousin's form, as if he would vanish forever if she looked away. "What…?"

Taking yet another deep breath, Chihiro repeated the question. "Do you trust me, Ren-san?"

"Well…I, yes, I suppose I do, but why are you asking me this now—"

"Because you might question what I'm about to do. But I'm asking you to please trust me. It will help your cousin recover from his illness. So, please, do you promise to trust me?" She looked at her with pleading emerald eyes. Blinking back tears, Ren nodded, completely confused while she watched Chihiro calmly walk over to the nearby window, undoing the latch...

Undoing the latch!

"Hiro-san, what are you doing?" To her horror, the dreaded bird flew in, perching on the windowsill and looking at her with something nearing sadness in its eyes. Getting to her feet, she went around to the other side of her cousin's sleeping form, standing over him protectively. "H-Hiro-san, make that thing go away. It's bad luck to have it lurking around this room…" Ren took a step closer, voice quivering slightly. "Please, make it go away. It shouldn't be allowed in here at all, Hiro-san! Why did you let it in?"

Up over her head it flew, landing beside the futon. The brunette wheeled around to chase it away, only to feel a hand grasp her wrist, holding her back. She turned to look over her shoulder, eyes widening as she saw Chihiro gripping tightly to her arm. She pulled, trying to free herself. "H-Hiro-san, what are you doing? Let me go! I have to…let me go!" She reached to pry her captured hand loose but the other's hand closed over it as well. Now her heart was pounding as she stared back at the person she had trusted, wondering why "he" was doing this. "Hiroshi, what are you…?"

Gentle eyes stared back into her panicked ones. "Ren, please; this is what I need you to trust me about. I know you can't understand it, but you have to believe me when I say your cousin will live because of this."

"D-demo…the crow…!" she struggled, but Chihiro didn't give an inch.

"Ren." The girl looked into the ebony-haired boy's eyes as he spoke, his voice stiffening her form as blue orbs locked with emerald ones. "Please."

Her lips trembled; she tried to speak but it felt like her vocal chords were paralyzed. Her cold hands shook, thoughts fleeting through her mind of her cousin, and that bird… Her aunt had warned her against opening the window. But "Hiroshi" was telling her she needed to do it, so she could save... her chest tightened at the thought of losing her cousin. There wasn't anything she could do, she knew that, but, but how could a stupid bird help him get better! Had Hiroshi gone mad? Her eyes widened, remembering that her friend still held her hands in confinement. Goosebumps formed over her smooth skin; was "he"…going to…?

Casting an unsure look up into Chihiro's eyes, Ren found no traces of evil intensions, only a steady, stubborn gaze staring deep into her own sky-blue orbs. After some hesitation, she shyly lifted a hand up to "his" soft cheek, allowing at first just her fingertips to caress "his" face, eventually adding the rest of her hand. She noticed Chihiro's brows knotting, and the way miko in disguise flinched at her touch. Maybe "he" was more nervous about being touched by her than the other way around?

The miko did her best to take the somewhat sensual touch in stride, but it was still very unsettling. She watched the girl before her, then suddenly jerked her eyes over to the futon. Ren mirrored her action, a puzzled look on her face.

Letting out a small moan, Shuro opened his eyes, lifting his hand to his forehead and sweeping back his bangs. He blinked, remaining still for a moment. Eyes widening slightly, he blinked in confusion again. Had he just taken a breath…and experienced no pain? None at all? He experimented again, and once more, and each time he received the same results. The young man eventually sat up, placing a hand over his chest. He somehow felt, well, _renewed_, almost. It was as if the illness had never been...

Something moved at his side and he turned, watching with surprise as a crow flew off his bed and perched lightly on the nearby windowsill. Mystified by the animal's appearance, Shuro could only blink numbly, one hand still touching his chest as if waiting for the pains to return.

Ren, on the other hand, wasn't watching the bird anymore. Her eyes were fixed completely on her cousin. Happiness burst from her heart, hands going up to her mouth to suppress a cry of happiness at Shuro's condition. Salty tears trickled down her face as he smiled at her, the color back in his cheeks and the life burning anew in his eyes. "Shuro-chan…" Ren took a timid step forward, not even realizing that Hiroshi had let her go. She thought it might only be an illusion, that it would vanish from her sight any moment, but it remained, much to her delight. Ren watched as he smiled at her; and something within her gave way. "Shuro-chaaan!" she exclaimed. She hurried across the room and into his waiting arms, nearly knocking him back from the force of the embrace. His arms folded around her tightly, holding her close as she sobbed with joy.

Chihiro turned to her newest seishi perched on the window and lightly whispered a small thanks. The crow nodded tiredly, managing a small, gentle smile before it turned and flew out the window.

xXxXx

Translation Notes: 

1) Ja ne- like "see ya"

2) Arigatou-"thank you"

3) Iie-"no"

4) Gomen-"sorry"

5) Demo-"but"


	14. Unseen Presence

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yugi, or any of Yu Watase-sama's characters, just borrowing them for my fic. I own Chihiro, Ren, Toroki, and Shuro and that's about it for now.

xXxXx

"Hiro-san!"

"Hm?" Chihiro turned, hearing her other name that she had grown quite used to by now. She had also grown accustomed to the different voices she had come to know. So now she knew fully well who was calling her this time. "Oh, Ren-san," she said, smiling and turning around. "What is it you need-" The other girl barreled into her, nearly making them both lose their footing.

Tasuki, who was walking next to the miko, moved away when he saw the other girl coming. He had no wish to be kicked, even if by accident.

"Oh Hiro-san! The doctors don't know what to make of it! Shuro-chan was practically on his deathbed, but now he's up and around doing his chores!" Ren beamed at her friend. "How did you manage it?"

Chihiro paled, sweatdropping as she popped on a fake smile. "Um...what do you mean by "how did I manage it", Ren-san?" 'Duh...' she mentally berated herself at her own stupidity that she had to act out, purely to keep her real self a secret.

"My cousin! Before he was barely able to open his eyes and now he can't sit still for one moment!" She giggled happily. "And it all happened because I trusted you...Hiroshi." She locked eyes with "him", giving a deep, meaningful look.

Chihiro tried not to seem embarrassed, but the Ren misread the blush on her cheeks. Lowering her head and resting it on the other's shoulder, Ren embraced her gratefully. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Hiro-san. Now that I know my cousin is going to be well, I can be at ease. And also, because of something else..." Before Chihiro knew what was happening, the other girl's face was inches from own. The realization of what her friend was about to do hit home hard, giving her enough time to ease away, the other girl looking at her with a mixture of confusion and disappointment.

She blinked a few times, stumbling for words to say as the redness on her cheeks increased. "R-Ren-san, I um... don't think we should..." Chihiro stuttered, though her mind screamed 'get away from me!'

xXxXx

"I'm glad Shuro's okay now," Nuriko stated from inside his small cage, looking over at the monkey and cat seated nearby gazing out the window of Ren's room.

"I am too, I guess, but we should really think about moving on." Tamahome began, a slight anxiousness in his voice. "Chiriko has to be found still and then we have to head all the way back to Mt. Taikyoku for whatever reason the old hag wants us for..."

Chichiri's brow furrowing in an oh-so-cute way, he looked back to the two younger seishi. "That's easier said than done no da. From what I understand, Ren has been the only human to choose Chihiro-chan as a friend." He turned his head back out the window, one of his ears twitching. "If we leave, she will have to leave her behind no da."

"I know that," Tamahome joined the cat in looking back outside. "We can't protect two girls from danger while we're like this, Chichiri."

Nuriko rolled his eyes. "Tamakins...just nevermind." The violet butterfly flapped his wings once or twice before staying quiet all together. The cream-colored cat was more focused on what was going on outside than the small conversation at his right.

xXxXx

'Holy...! Why is she acting like this?' Chihiro mentally panicked, having been accidentally backed into a tree. The other was directly in front of her, peering up into her face.

"Hiro-san, I...I've been wanting to tell you this for quite some time now..." The brunette looked down at her feet and wringing her hands nervously, looking up at Chihiro out from underneath her shimmering chocolate bangs. "I...I don't know exactly how to say this, but I... Hiroshi, I—"

"Ren-chan, Hiro-kun?" Tsukasa-san called out the window of their house, interrupting the conversation, much to Chihiro's relief. "I was wondering if one of you could draw water for me?" The tone of her voice was much brighter now since her son's recovery, the miko had noticed.

"Of course, Tsukasa-san! I would love to!" Chihiro hastily trotted over the where the pail lay; only to find another hand snatch it up before she could.

"It's all right, auntie. I'll do it." Ren replied over her shoulder, glaring disappointedly that they had been interrupted, not necessarily at her aunt. She walked off briskly, avoiding eye contact with the other before Chihiro could say anything. Tasuki trotted up to his master, coming up along her legs.

"Good thing that happened when it did, otherwise ya mighta been kissin' another girl!"

"I am so very grateful to Tsukasa-san for all she has done," Chihiro whispered with relief, ignoring her dog's comment. But still, even though she had been saved a moment of great embarrassment, she couldn't help but feel guilty, as she always had. Each day she had to keep reminding herself that Ren saw her as a man; no doubt thanks to her disguise, and Ren was just reacting the way she naturally would if she really was a boy.

And then she felt bad.

Deceiving the only friend she had come to have was not what she wanted; it was something that had to be done. But...why couldn't she tell Ren? After all, they were supposed to be friends, right? Why were friends supposed to keep secrets from one another? Weren't friends someone you could laugh and cry with, share all your most deepest desires and fears with? Someone you were supposed to trust, and in return having that person trust you? Chihiro frowned, walking in the direction she had seen her friend go, stopping momentarily.

"Gen-chan, could you—"

The dog growled. "I tol' ya not t'call me that, dammit!"

Chihiro bit her lower lip to suppress a giggle, not the least affected by the expletive. "Anyway, would you mind not following me? I'd like to...have a talk with Ren, alone for a moment or two-"

His eyes widened, grinning in a teasing manner as he pretended to look disturbed. "So, jus' by wearin' a guy's clothes, ya turned gay, huh?"

A vein popped out on the side of her head, and she swung a kick towards her dog, who dodged with ease. "I'm going to slap the next person who questions me on that subject again, so help me! _Ohhhhh!"_ The miko stomped off into the woods behind the house, headed for the well.

"Fine! I wasn' gonna follow ya anyways! Go, see if I care!" Tasuki tramped away, looking for some place secluded where he could sulk.

xXxXx

"I was so close to telling him this time..." Ren sighed, tucking a long strand of hair behind her left ear. "If it weren't for auntie interrupting…I could have told him that...that I'm falling in love with him." Holding the bucket before her with both hands, she approached the well, humming an old love song that she had come to know since moving to Konan, occasionally singing a few phrases aloud quietly to herself.

"...Aoi sora no mukou mimamoru hoshi ga aru... Kimi e to kagayaku...omi wa eien..."

She broke off humming again, sitting the bucket down at the base of the well as she reached out to take hold of the rope to pull up a pail full of water to fill her bucket with. Once she grasped the wet object to pour its contents into the mouth of her own, Ren blinked, looking up at her surroundings. She could have sworn she felt something behind her... Shrugging, she went on pouring the water.

A twig snapped.

Her head shot up, looking around. "Hello?" No answer. "Hello?" she asked again, except louder, but still received no response. Eyes shifting around the clearing, Ren began to think that she should head home. Picking up the pail, she turned and began walking back, glancing over her shoulder and around her nervously.

She walked that way for sometime, until she came to notice that something was shuffling on the ground behind her. She stopped, turning around to find nothing behind her. Frowning, she continued walking. Again, she heard footsteps behind her, and once more turned around and saw nothing. Ren began to worry about two things; one of what may be out there with her, or if she was just losing her mind.

She turned back onto the path ahead of her, but stopped dead in her tracks, the bucket of water falling to the ground with a clatter and spilling out the water in it.

xXxXx

"Ren-san?" Chihiro called ahead of her as she approached the well. "I was wondering if I could speak with you about something for a moment..." She blinked entering the clearing, realizing that she had more or less been talking to herself, and began to feel slightly embarrassed; relieved as well that no one else had been around to hear.

Walking up to the well, she peered into it. "Well, I know she was here; the place where she sat the bucket to draw water with is still damp," she told herself, touching the spot lightly with her fingertips. "But where could she have gone? She could have walked past me through the woods, but I doubt it. I should have heard her..."

A scream pierced through the air, causing Chihiro to spin around, eyes scanning her surroundings. That scream...it must have come from...

"Ren!" Chihiro bolted deeper into the woods, following where she assumed the scream had come from.

xXxXx

For a brief moment the movements behind her ceased, and then a strong force knocked Ren to the ground, pinning her on her stomach. She felt teeth sink into her arm, and a scream rang from her throat; eyes squeezed shut from the pain. Tears of fear burned her eyes as the open wound stung from exposure. In her one ear, she could hear a faint growling noise, like that of a dog's...

Turning, her face paled. Two blood red eyes bore into hers. What frightened her more was that there was no head, or body for the pair of eyes to fit into.

Ren opened her mouth to scream, finding her vocal chords paralyzed. She somehow found her voice again, as unseen jaws tightened around her arm, rousing another scream of pain from the girl. The brunette tried to move but couldn't, something that felt like a paw pushing into her back held her fast.

But in a moment from that, the teeth left her flesh, the pressure holding her down removed itself and she quickly sat up, grasping her arm to stop the bleeding. Gasping, she turned hearing rapid footsteps, those that belonged to a human. "Ren-san!" It was Hiroshi, his voice not too far away.

Chihiro burst through the bushes. "Ren-san, why were you scream— Oh my god!" She saw her friend's injury, quickly coming over to her side. "What happened! Daijoubu?" she asked quickly, worry thick in her voice.

Ren was trembling from head to foot, glancing around fearfully. In a moment her eyes locked onto something that sent her rigid, face paling more than it already was. Becoming a little uneasy at the other girl's reaction, Chihiro glanced in the direction...and found that her eyes stayed as well.

Blood red eyes, fixed on the two of them, levitated in the middle of the clearing! But how! As she watched, the eyes locked with hers, narrowing as a low snarl rippled through the air.

'What is that...!' Chihiro's mind raced, lime green eyes widening when they disappeared. Ren grew tense, looking around, alarmed. It was only a moment later that Ren screamed out as Chihiro flew a few feet away, having been knocked away by some great force, skidding across the grassy soil. The disguised miko winced, lightly placing a hand on the throbbing part of her back. 'What the heck was that!'

Ren crawled backwards as the eyes drew nearer to her, commanding her shaking legs to stand as her opposite hand still gripped her bitten shoulder.

"I have you at last, Suzaku no miko..." A low voice growled.

Ren's eyes narrowed in confusion and fear; its words only resounding as vicious growls while Chihiro's widened, understanding its speech. It thought Ren was the true priestess? She glanced down at the piece of jewelry securely around her wrist. Did it also shield her presence from being sensed from the enemy besides casting an illusion?

'That...whatever it is, is after me, after the priestess...' Chihiro had to think fast. Ren still hadn't gotten to her feet yet, and she didn't know when that thing would choose to attack.

Her hand went to her wrist, to take off her bracelet, but halted. If she exposed herself, that thing would come after her next. And what might Ren think?

Ren let out a scream, cowering in a ball on the ground as it launched itself at her, but it stopped its assault when a small rock came in contact with its head. Turning irritatingly, it saw Chihiro retracting her arm from a throwing motion, eyes narrowed angrily.

"Leave her alone!" As quick as a flash her hand darted up to the bracelet and extracted it from her limb, tossing it aside. The transformation took only seconds to complete. "I'm the one you want; I'm the Suzaku no miko."

Ren's eyes grew wider than they had been, only with shock. "Th-the Suzaku no…"

The ebony-haired girl took a few unsure steps back as the animal began to advance on her now. She kept glancing behind her to make sure she had a clear path to run...and at the last moment turned and bolted. The creature that sought her with its blood-red eyes became visible, turning into a...

"A wolf...?" Ren gasped, able to stand using a tree for support, still in struck numb by what she had witnessed.

"Ren-chan!" Shuro's voice rippled in her ears as she turned quickly to see his approaching figure. His brown eyes narrowed worryingly, quickening his pace to reach her; she looked so pale he thought she might faint any second. "What in the world happened...? Never mind, tell me later; your shoulder needs tending to. Come on." He put his arm around his cousin, guiding her back down the path. Ren hesitated, an indescribable look of hurt, fear, and confusion all jumbled together clouded her complexion. "Come on Ren, what are you waiting for! If we leave that wound alone it could get infected, now come on! What's the matter?"

xXxXx

Chihiro ran as she had never run before, knowing death awaited her if she stumbled or grew weary. Every few seconds she kept glancing over her shoulder, and sure enough that same bloodthirsty mutt was still at her heels, snapping its blood-dripping mouth at her fast moving legs. That only motivated her to run faster, however, her eyes darting around and looking for a way to buy some time to get further ahead. Tree branches slashed at her arms as she ran, wanting to trip her up.

Glancing a low, rather thick tree branch ahead, an idea glinted in Chihiro's eyes as she made for it. As she drew nearer to it, she shoved it away for herself and let it fly back. She smiled slightly hearing a thud of wood coming in contact with the beast behind her as she continued running, a twig grazing the surface of her cheek when she passed it. It stung, but she ignored it. The adrenalin was pumping through her too quickly for her to even notice. While running, she came to realize that she might have gained a good few feet if not more.

Chihiro weaved out of the way of a sapling, running madly. Another branch snagged her hair, ripping her hair tie out. She was beginning to perspire from her effort to get away, breathing becoming shorter and shorter with each foot that slammed against the forest floor's surface.

The miko chanced a look back, seeing her enemy wasn't far now and was gaining.

Turning her attention back to the trail in front of her, she saw that the ground disappeared; a downhill slope. Caught unprepared, she could only tumble downwards, doing the best she could to avoid the rocks or trees sprouting out from the soil around her. Leaves clung to her hair as she rolled, unable to stop. The soil dirtied her clothes. The whole world was spinning wildly, making her dizzy. As she wondered when or if it would ever end when she felt the ground even out beneath her, rolling her until the base of a tree stopped her, coming into rough contact with the curve of her hip. She moaned; coughing having the wind knocked out of her. Chihiro placed her hand over the same tree trunk to assist her in standing, but found the woods around her spinning too madly and soon sank to her knees again. Her head ached; no doubt she knocked it against something like the rest of her body had been.

Hearing rustling she looked up, and her heart stopped momentarily. The monster following her was making its way down the slope, glowing blood eyes fixed on her. That gave her the motivation she needed and she stood, looking around anxiously for a place to run, somewhere to hide. The only thing she saw around her was trees; she had never been very good at climbing trees when she was younger. Her mother had always told her that it wasn't becoming of a lady to climb trees.

She had long ago forgotten that teaching.

Grasping a branch in her hand, she attempted to pull herself up. She strained, making it up little by little, not having much upper body strength, being unaccustomed to strenuous activities.

A tug on the trailing of her boyish clothes stopped her, making her look down. Her limbs stiffened in fear, all the strength she had left leaving her as she found herself forcefully being pulled down to the ground, the shadow of the monstrous gray wolf looming over her. Every muscle in her body tensed, throwing her arms up as it was about to charge her, but suddenly felt a gust of wind blow before her. Chancing a glance up, she saw bright orange fur.

Tasuki stood in front of his miko, ears flattened to his head and gums rolled back exposing his sharp teeth. The fur on the back of his neck stood straight up, his head lowered threateningly as a growl rumbled in his throat. With everything combined, one would have thought he was a wolf himself.

"Gen-chan...!" she gasped, her body completely frozen to the spot.

Her dog stood his ground, body swaying slightly, remaining in front of her as his blazing amber eyes stayed glued to the wild dog before him. He watched it pace back and forth, trying to find a way around him to get to his miko, but was growing frustrated when it found none. Then, unexpectedly, it lunged forward, snapping at Tasuki's throat. The orange dog moved out of the way, launching himself onto his opponent and digging his teeth into its shoulder, knocking it on its side and pinning it there. It whimpered, then snarled, its face contorting so fiercely that it looked like a demon to Chihiro's eyes.

What happened next frightened her more. With its back leg, it struck out, nailing Tasuki on the side of his face and forcing him back. The way it had done it, it looked very much like a human trick, but this was a wolf. How could it have...?

"What're ya standin' there for!" Tasuki yelled after shaking his head to rid it from the light dizziness caused by the blow. "Get goin'!"

Fear gripped her. Run? And leave him behind? He may not have been human, but he was her first real friend! No way she was leaving him there with that thing! "Bu-but I can't-Tasuki!" she cried out in warning. The animal was about to attack him from behind, but thanks to her voice, the 'wing' seishi avoided it, instead clamping his teeth into the other's leg and using its own momentum against it, slamming the wolf into the ground.

"I ain't foolin'! I said go now!" he barked, ears still lowered, eyes darting back to the enemy that was coming to its feet. "I'll be awright; go get the others!"

A sob choking her voice, Chihiro ran quickly up the slope, trying to ignore the ferocious sounds below her as the two canines battled it out. She would occasionally hear a cry of pain from her dog, but that would always be followed by an enraged, "Why you...!"

Reaching the top, she took off in the direction she guessed to be the right path back, stumbling a few times and still shaken up. 'Tasuki...! I have to go get Chichiri and the others...!' Chihiro's mind raced. 'I need to hurry...! If I don't, Tasuki could be seriously hurt...!' Her mind strayed to another thought. "Or...maybe even..." She shook her head violently. No, she couldn't think of such a terrible thing now. She had to keep going. She had to find her other warriors; she had to save him!

Looking ahead, she saw something cream-colored and nimble making its way towards her at a run. As it drew nearer, she recognized who it was. "Chichiri!"

"Chihiro! Daijoubu na no da?" he called ahead, both of them slowing once they reached each other, Chihiro slumping to her knees as the cat placed his front paws on her knees to look up into her face. His feline brow wrinkled with concern.

"H-help..." She gasped out, feeling her eyes watering as sobs began trying to work their way out. On top of this she was fighting to return her breathing to normal again but failing. Her hand dug into her thick black hair, shaking her head in frustration. She couldn't speak; her voice had left her.

Chichiri's voice spoke softly, surprisingly reaching above her frightened sobs. "Chihiro, please try to calm down no da," he mewed soothingly, one of his front legs pawing at her knee. "You're only upset and frightened; take a few slow breaths and try to relax..."

Hiccupping from crying, Chihiro sought to do what he asked. Although her sobs wouldn't cease from working their way up her throat, she had managed to get her breathing under control, speaking quickly. "A wolf! It attacked Ren because it thought she was the Suzaku no miko, but I made it chase me. It almost got me but Tasuki saved me...!"

"Where is he now no da?" The cat asked, glancing around for a glimpse of his fiery friend and brother warrior.

Another sob worked its way past her lips. "H-he's fighting the wolf...!"

Chichiri's mahogany orbs widened, his body stiffening at her words.

"He told me to run...to get you guys to-"

"Chihiro, listen carefully. Follow the path behind me until you meet up with the others. Tamahome should be bringing the others with him soon; when they meet up with you, lead them back that way." The cat gestured down the trail she had come running from. "Okay?"

The miko nodded shakily, getting to her feet and took up the path she had been running before. The former monk watched her a moment to make sure she would be all right, and then dashed forward in the direction where he felt Tasuki's chi emitting from.

xXxXx

Tasuki braced his legs as he was shoved backwards, eyes glowing dangerously at the one he was fighting. His shoulder bled slightly, staining his orange fur red, but he could barely feel it. Anger pumped through his blood, helping him to stand again, it being the only thing keeping him going. When it snarled at him, he glared back, showing his white teeth. That thing had dared to attack his miko! He would make sure it paid ten-fold!

"Come an' get me!" he taunted, his body ready to react to any form of attack the other could give. As he expected, the wolf lunged at him, jaws dripping with saliva and blood. Tasuki smirked, swaying to the right to avoid it, getting ready to go in for an attack when the animal's hind legs connected with his chest, knocking the wind from him and sending him flying backwards into a tree. The impact was hard, hitting both his head and bloodied shoulder against it. Moaning, he tried to push himself up, blood running down from a small wound above his right eye. A pang of pain laced through his shoulder and down he went from the unexpected sensation. Out the corner of his eye, he could see the gray wolf approaching him, grinning at him as it drew nearer. He tried standing again, but this time his leg gave out from under him completely. He cursed, turning to glare at the enemy.

"Where is your strength now, Suzaku warrior?" the voice of the wolf growled softly, on the borderline of a snarl. Tasuki's eyes grew wide. How did that thing know about...! He quickly turned his attention back to the wolf, who spoke again. "I'm going to tear you up so much you'll look like something stolen fresh from the butcher!"

The orange dog forced himself up, tucking his injured leg underneath him as he returned the glare. "I ain't scared ya piece o'crap..." he growled, trying to stand with just his three legs, flattening his ears once more.

"I can fix that!" The ending of the last word grew into a howl as it tackled the Suzaku warrior, both of them rolling around in the leaves, biting scratching each other. But Tasuki was at a disadvantage, having only one of his front legs to keep the other at bay.

Chichiri made it to the top of the embankment just as the two started up again, rushing down to help his friend. If he had his magic, one chi blast would have leveled that beast. But this time he couldn't rely on his magic.

Before Tasuki could counter the sudden attack, his opponent's claws slammed into his injured shoulder. The small cry that came from him was cut short when he felt jaws snap around his throat, tightening their hold. His body went into a frenzy, desperately trying to get the other off as the air to his windpipe was being cut off. The treetops around him began swirling in his vision, fading into blackness feeling his strength leaving him.

Not a second later he barely felt the iron grip release him, emitting a cry of pain and leaping off of him, obviously trying to deal with another problem that had come up.

Chichiri, holding onto the wild dog's back, reached up with his free front paw and swiped the creature over its muzzle, catching it by the nose. He held on tightly as it began bucking to get this pest off its back. Its head jerked back, jaws snapping at the cream-colored feline, leaving him no choice but to ditch his spot on the gray animal's back. Landing, he shot a quick glance at Tasuki. His companion, though his breathing was labored from the near strangulation, was lying as still as could be, crimson staining the bright fur of his neck.

He didn't have long to study his comrade's condition, leaping away from the animal bigger than himself. As it advanced, Chichiri jumped backwards once more before leaping straight up in the air, using a tree base as a spring and coming down on the wolf's head with force, claws extended, forcing it down into the ground. Sliding down the animal's back, Chichiri landed on his feet behind him, whipping around to find it bearing down on him. But its leap was cut short, slamming into the ground. The cat frowned, scanning the area, brown eyes catching a flicker of the color purple.

"No one," the butterfly began, still holding onto the wolf's tail and stopping its motion, "And I mean no one messes with my friends!" Using his strength he sent the animal flying through the air. Sharp hooves connected with its ribcage causing a loud cracking sound that one could only presume were his bones being broken, throwing it into a bush but tumbling off of it, leaves scattering everywhere.

The stallion stepped forward, riders still clinging to him from him having reared up a second before. A crow flapped above them, spotting his injured comrade and quickly making his way over to see to his wounds.

Body trembling from the force of the blow, the wolf managed to stand, flinching at the damage just inflicted on it. However, ferocity still burned in its eyes as it glared at the stallion. "You will live to regret this, Suzaku warrior..."

Hotohori narrowed his eyes, stomping his front hoof as message for it to get lost. It did just that, turning and half-limping, half-running into the cover of the woods.

Nuriko couldn't suppress a shudder that snuck up his spine unexpectedly, antennae twitching nervously. He wasn't even feeling afraid.

Now that the danger was gone, Chihiro's eyes darted around the clearing, Tamahome perched on her shoulder, and... "Gen-chan!" The miko climbed off the stallion's back, dashing over to her 'wing' seishi's side, where the crow was already perched, along with the cat as the dog sat up. The sighting of blood she knew was his own made hers run cold in her veins.

"Oh my god...! Gen-chan, you're...!"

"It's alright," Mitsukake spoke in his relatively calm way. "I've already healed him."

Chichiri nodded, giving a sweet smile of assurance. "The blood you see isn't coming from any open wounds, Chihiro no da."

"Yeah, I'm good an' fine now-HEY!" Tasuki squirmed as he found himself being embraced by his miko.

"Yokatta..." she whispered, not seeming to care that she was dirtying her clothing from hugging him. Tasuki, though he was scowling, could only rest his head on her shoulder since he was unable to return the gesture in the form he was in.

"_Never_ do anything crazy like that again, okay?" she asked, finally releasing him and looking down at him awaiting his answer.

"Yeah sure..." His amber eyes focused on the ground, studying the differently colored leaves. From his resting place on Hotohori's neck and shimmering mane, Nuriko fluttered his wings, grinning, but said nothing.

Chihiro turned to the rest of the animals, meeting all their individual gazes and smiled gratefully. "Arigatou minna..."

Hotohori regally nodded, Nuriko flapping his wings gently a few times as he smiled. "We couldn't let our friends get chewed up, could we?"

"Hmph. Why are you thanking me?" Tamahome spoke up from where he was sulking, having hopped from her shoulder long before she hugged his brother warrior. "I didn't get any part in the fighting this time..."

"That isn't true no da," Chichiri looked over his shoulder, the column of gravity defying hair trembled with the motion. "You brought the others here to help us, remember?"

"Yes," Chihiro said, smiling, "Thank you, Tamahome."

The monkey slowly returned the smile, being lifted from his sulking mood.

Turning to Tasuki, the cat spoke with the cheerfulness in his voice that made Chihiro want to pick him up and cuddle him, if he were a normal cat, that is. Which he wasn't. "I think you should get cleaned up before we head back Tasuki no da. You look like a mess."

"Thanks fer pointin' that out, 'Chiri..." the dog replied, rolling his eyes.

"And while you're at it, take a bath!" Tamahome yelled, waving his hand, fanning away an invisible smell. "You smell like the dogs!"

Tasuki would have whirled around and beat that stupid primate to a pulp but he felt his master's hand go around his collar, holding him back. So, he tried to maintain his nerve and sat there quietly. That is not to say he wasn't cursing out his fellow warrior in his head, however.

xXxXx

A/N: La de daaa! Well, what did you people think? I know I didn't have any author notes the last chapter, but I didn't want to ruin the mood, ya know? Review and tell me what you all think!

Tas: Ya tryin' ta kill me ya crazy authoress? _waving his arms and tessan angrily_

Ama: _smiles innocently_ Nope! _hits him soundly over the head_

Chihiro: _sweatdrops, watching him taste the ground_ Inuyasha moment!

Nuri: _giggles_ If she had said 'Sit!' that would have been even funnier! Ne, 'Gen-chan'?

Tas: _grumbles profanity_

Hoto: _sulking that he hasn't enough lines_

'Chiri: That's all for now, folks! See you all in chapter 15 no da! _all wave_

Translation notes: 

1) "Arigatou Gozaimasu" means "Thank you very much"

2) "Aoi sora no mukou mimamoru hoshi ga aru. Kimi e to kagayaku omi wa eien" means "Beyond the blue sky are the stars watching over you. My feelings that sparkle for you are eternal." Yes, I got this from an FY song; I didn't arrange it myself. It is from Hotohori's song Boku no Uchuu (a very cool song!)

3) "Daijoubu" means "All right?" Basically asking someone if they are okay.

4) "Yokatta" means "Thank goodness"

5) "Arigatou minna" means "Thank you everyone"


	15. Repercussions

Disclaimer: I don't own the Fushigi Yugi characters or plan to use them for profit, so there! They all belong to the wonderful Yu Watase-sama, and I'm getting sick of saying the exact same things in my disclaimer all the time… _sighs_ Hands off Chihiro, Ren, Toroki, and Shuro! Okay, on with the fic!

"-speaking

'-thoughts

_italics_-dreams

xXxXx

Footsteps thundered down the great halls, thudding towards golden wood doors that were just at the end of the hall on the eastern side of the heavens. A hand reached out, slamming it open in a flourish of anger.

"Seiryuu!"

The dragon god unperturbedly glanced up from his solitary meditation at the entrance of the other god. "Ah, Suzaku. What brings you here?"

"Do not act as if you are so naive, brother!" The phoenix god took a few more strides to where his elder brother sat on the far side of the room, fist clenching at his side in an attempt to subdue his rage. "How dare you attack my miko and seishi with one of your own!"

"Oh," was the other's answer. "So that is the reason as to why you saw fit to visit my chambers." Seiryuu merely shifted, folding his hands together and looking as calm and collected as ever. He grinned, "And I so rarely get any visits from you, younger brother. Your presence here is quite a privilege, to say the least." The fact that the deity across from him was burning a hole into the side of his head by just staring, Seiryuu sobered up a bit. "Little brother, I was only trying to help you -"

"'Help me!'" The god of love had reached the end of his patience. "How so? By slaughtering her and my seishi? They haven't found my seventh star, Chiriko, as of yet!"

The southern god's outburst didn't seem to have affected him in the least. "Look at it this way, Suzaku. If something happened to your present miko, you would have to find a replacement for her… And I think you have been long overdue in your decision to-"

"My decision is _final_!" Suzaku interjected, red eyes narrowing at his older brother's words. "Sakamoto, Chihiro is my chosen miko, and she shall remain so. I do not wish to have this conversation again, Seiryuu. Attempt anything like this once more, and you shall regret it." Turning, the crimson-robed god marched out of the room with just as much a fire burning in his eyes as when he had entered. The god of the east grinned as he watched his brother's departure.

xXxXx

Tasuki sat still by the well as his miko scrubbed at the blood-caked fur on his shoulder. There was no longer any open wound, but it still had to be cleaned; it stained his sleek, clean coat and gave it a grimy look. Chihiro would not allow her dog to be filthy, especially if she were going to stay at a stranger's home.

His shoulder stirred involuntarily as Chihiro's hand, holding a washcloth, moved back and forth over it. "I think I've nearly gotten the stain out…" The miko turned to the bucket she had drawn to wash out the soiled rag. "Just a bit more and that should do it. The stain on your neck wasn't nearly as hard to get out, Gen-chan."

The dog simply rolled his eyes. "No shit! Ya were rubbin' so freakin' hard it felt like ya were chokin' me!" The 'wing' seishi complained, remaining still where he was as the feeling of luke-warm water was reapplied to his fur, massaging into his sore muscles.

"Oh…quit exaggerating," Chihiro sighed, shifting from one knee to the other in her kneeling position next to her dog. She had a headache-finding from Mitsukake that she had knocked her head against something during her tumble down the incline-and that had come as a result. But the miko silently speculated that it had also come about from her dog's continuous complaining.

The miko heard her dog let out an agitated growl in response to her words, but he remained silent, much to her relief. She was far too tired to listen to his complaining now. Every now and then, she would glance up to see if any of her other five animal seishi had returned. They had gone looking for the bewitched bracelet that held her disguise in order. When she revealed herself to the wolf, she had cast it to the ground as she ran. She hoped it would soon be found.

"Don' worry." At her dog's voice, the girl looked up, amazed as if he had read her thoughts. "They'll find it."

"I know…I hope so," she answered quietly, pulling the washrag away from him the last time. "There, all clean." She stated, wringing out the cloth and then taking the bucket, dumped out the pink-tainted water into the grass for it to wash away. "Hope you don't mind being a little damp for awhile, Gen-chan…"

"Nah, I can deal with it," the dog smirked before shaking himself rapidly to rid his fur of the access water. Chihiro squealed, throwing her hands up to try and shield herself from the spray of water droplets in vain. Tasuki turned to his miko after having done this. "I can deal with it, 'cus now yer th'wet one here an' not me!" he laughed, enjoying her aggravated expression.

"Gen-chan…you…you little jerk!" she whined, gathering her black tresses together over one shoulder to squeeze out the water. "I should've simply thrown you into the well to clean you up instead!"

At the mere mention of being down inside the well with all that water, Tasuki tensed up. Even though he had been reborn as a canine, he still lacked the ability to swim, which was a very sad thing. Of course, he would never let onto that with the others. He swallowed his fear, flicking his tail obstinately. "Yeah right, as if ya could even lift me over the side—!"

"Well, we'll just have to find out then, now won't we…?" She stopped mid sentence, blinking at her dog's reaction. His amber eyes looked past her, warning her not to turn around. "Gen-chan? What's…?" Against his unspoken warning, she slowly turned around, eyes widening at what, or rather, who she saw standing there. "R-Ren-san…"

The brunette's sapphire eyes softened, lowering to the ground. "So…it is true then…" She was clothed a simple, thin white robe, a deep green robe draped over her shoulders and her hair was braided, trailing down over her shoulder. "I wasn't imagining things after all. I thought at first I was only disoriented from being attacked…"

"R-Ren…how long have you been here?" She took a cautious step towards her, heart beating nervously. "Oh, is your shoulder doing alri—"

"Yes, perfectly." She snapped, halting the other girl where she was. "When were you planning on telling me the truth, hmm? I mean, if not anyone else, I would've thought you would have told me…you know, me being your friend and all…or, at least, that's what I thought…"

"R-Ren, let me explain…"

"No." Her blue eyes narrowed at the miko. "Whatever has…everything that's come out of your mouth this far has been a lie…! I will not allow myself to be tricked again. I…" Her hands clenched at her sides. "How could you mess with me like that! With my family!"

"I wasn't trying to mess with you from the beginning, Ren—"

"So you say!" Ren shouted angrily. "Can you even imagine the pain and humiliation I was going through the moment you revealed who you really were; a girl! The Priestess of Suzaku? …I…I loved you, Hiro…" Ren quickly stopped before she made a complete fool of herself. "Wait, heh… I suppose that isn't even your real name, now is it?" she asked, casting a dark glare her way, eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

Chihiro felt her eyes growing misty, Tasuki watching his master with concern in his eyes. "My name is Sakamoto, Chihiro. And yes, I am the Suzaku no Miko…"

Ren continued to smile, but it was not cheerful. "Beautiful. Just lovely." Her eyes shimmered with hurt, shifting down to the miko's 'wing' seishi. "And I suppose it's not just a coincidence that 'Tasuki' is named after one of the Suzaku shichi seishi, ne? Just like the others, I presume?" She nodded her head before the other could respond. "You were talking to him just now. So, that's why you were so secretive before…why you always clammed up whenever I saw you with those animals of yours."

Chihiro only gave her silence for an answer, a look of panic on her face. She didn't want to lose the only friend she had… "Ren-san…"

The other girl turned away, braid whipping over her shoulder. "Don't call me that!" Her voice was like an icy blade, stabbing into Chihiro's heart, silencing her. "The person who called me that was a fantasy, someone made up to conceal who they were, all the while calling me their best friend." Her hard eyes locked onto Chihiro's desperate ones. "I will not allow myself to be fooled again. I don't care what you have to say!"

The girl from another world grew desperate. "Please! Listen to what I have to say! I didn't want to deceive you, really I didn't! It was just that I couldn't tell anyone about my true identity, or else something like this would have occurred much sooner!" She placed her hand over the wrist that usually bore the bracelet. "Do you remember that arm band I wore? It disguised me so that I could stay a secret, but its whole purpose wasn't simply to deceive people—"

"Then what was it for, hm?"

"I…it was to protect me…and my friends, Ren-san…"

"Yamero yo!" Ren's voice was breaking due to emotion, tears forming lines down her face as she approached the other, reaching into her dark green robe. Extracting from it was a familiar looking bracelet, which she roughly shoved into Chihiro's hands for her to take. "I came out here after that monster attacked me to find this, so that I could give it back to Hiroshi when he came back as a small 'thank you'." She shook her head. "But you're not Hiroshi; you're a complete stranger. I have never met you before." Her shoulders shook lightly with suppressed sobs. "You don't have to worry," she spoke bitterly. "I didn't tell my cousin's family about your lies. I just want you to go…" The girl turned away, wanting to go back to the solitude of her room and let out her feelings right then, but the other's voice stopped her.

"Ren…please, I…I didn't want to lie to you from the beginning at all! It wasn't my intention! I hated it! You see I was wearing this bracelet to protect not only myself, but you as well, my friend…" Chihiro watched the other girl's shoulders stiffen at the word. "I wanted to tell you…honestly I did. But I didn't know how you would react…or, I was afraid that you would become angry with me as you are now…"

"It's too late for apologies."

Chihiro looked up sharply at the words.

"It's too late. Anything you have to say…" Her voice trailed off as she began walking back to the house. "You can stay one more night…but I want you gone by morning…okay?" She waited in silence as if she half expected a response back, but none came. "Oyasumi…Chihiro-sama." Having said those two words, she walked off into the night, leaving the grief-stricken miko and her dog seishi in the clearing by the well.

Chihiro stared after the direction the other girl had gone for a long time, not moving an inch from her place. Her hands hung limply at her sides; bracelet slipping from her fingers; her whole body numb with despair by what had just occurred. She had lost her. Her emotions were building up inside of her, and, unable to stand, she sank to her knees still facing the trail Ren had taken.

Something brushed against her hand; amber eyes looked up at her in concern, though her own eyes didn't lower to meet her dog's gaze. "Chihiro…? Are ya—" His words died before they could leave his mouth as he studied the girl before him. She was crying; the strong smell of salty tears wisped by his nose as the cascades of tears washed over her face, but she hadn't made a single sound.

He didn't know what to do. Watching her being this upset was difficult, to stand by unknowing what could be done to ease her pain. The more time that passed, the more audible her quiet sobs were becoming to his canine ears. "I…" The right words just wouldn't come to him. "Chihiro…"

The next thing that happened caught the Tasuki way off guard.

The miko's tears finally found a voice, turning to face him, only to reach out and cling to him, crying her heart out, rewetting the fur with her tears.

The dog remained where he was, stiff; eyes wide as he felt her shoulders tremble, sobbing out her pain, anger and frustration. Within a moment his eyes softened, resting his head on her shoulder for means of comfort.

It was at that moment Hotohori lightly trotted up to the edge of the clearing, stopping suddenly seeing the sight before him. His priestess, she was crying… 'Why?'

Tamahome looked around the stallion's head, holding a small cage with Nuriko in it, both their faces sobering at the sight; glancing down at Chichiri. The former monk halted beside the stallion, having sensed his miko's anguish before actually having seen it.

Unaware of their presence, Chihiro's tears continued to fall, hugging her dog searching desperately for means of relief, finding none. "Oh Tasuki…she hates me! She really hates me! I didn't mean for it to go this far and…and now…" She sniffled, the screen of water she presumed were tears blurring her vision. "I've lost the only friend I've made! I'm such a horrible person; I should have told Ren about my secret way earlier before this…but I didn't, and now she absolutely hates me…!" Any other possible words she had to say were drowned out by her continued sobs.

Her dogs pointed ears, having been lowered in sympathy, perked up upon sensing the other animals' presence, looking up. The motion distracted the miko from her tears, running a hand over her dampened cheeks and blinking back the moisture in her eyes to prevent its escape. "Minna…"

"Chihiro…" Hotohori's voice intoned gently, walking over to her and lightly nudged her shoulder with his nose, carrying those on his back with him. Nuriko fluttered out from his cage as the monkey released him, to land on his miko's tear-stained hand, antennae drooping in sadness for her. Chichiri made his way over to his distressed miko's side, to stand by Tasuki. Tamahome carefully climbed down from the stallion's back gathering near Chihiro with the others. Mitsukake landed quietly to rest beside the cat.

The girl from another world attempted to smile, wanting to hide her tears, but found that she couldn't. The internal pain etched on her face was unmistakably clear to the eye. "I found it, so you don't have to go looking for it…the bracelet, I mean…" She held it up briefly to prove this. "…No," Her voice was a soft whisper. "The one who actually found it…was Ren…" Chihiro closed her eyes, causing more built up tears to force their way out, sliding smoothly down her face as the handful of animals clustered around her watched, sympathetic and comforting looks on their faces.

'Chihiro…please don' cry…' Tasuki begged, wishing to speak these words aloud but found that he couldn't, his own voice speaking only in his thoughts.

"Ren…she wants me to be gone come the morning…" Chihiro's voice interrupted his train of thought. She tried to keep her voice void of emotion, but was doing a terrible job, an incredible sadness thick in her soft voice. "But…if it's okay with you guys…I'd l-like to…"

Chichiri placed his front paw on her arm. "You stay here, Chihiro-chan. Tamahome and I will go get everything no da."

"I will assist you…" Hotohori turned away, following the cat and the monkey.

xXxXx

That chick from before, the one he saved from that perverted gang in the alley; now, she had looked far different in appearance and attitude than his own miko, Suzuno, had been when he first encountered her.

Toroki rolled his eyes, sighing exasperatedly. "Suzuno didn't whine nearly as much…and never in my wildest dreams would I've imagined that pig-tailed, soft-spoken Byakko no miko tryin' to tackle me!"

The youth shook his head, recalling his experience once more with Chihiro. "Or 'Hiroshi,' as she told me t'call her, heheh…" He smirked, bright green eyes glistening. "Wonder why she's disguised t'begin with? Never got her to tell me."

The image of the ebony-haired girl looking up at him with those two big, teary eyes made him pause where he was in the middle of the woods, bowing his head so that his rich cinnamon bangs hid the soft expression in his eyes. That memory refused to give him peace since that day… Those two lime-green eyes remained clearly in his mind, the irises slowly shifting to a pale gray. "Kara…"

xXxXx

It was still dark out, being early in the morning, and Chihiro sat silently on the back of her horse seishi, after he had offered to give her a lift. Being that as she was, she hadn't the energy to walk on her own. The girl stared down at her hands, thoughts shrouding her mind one after another, too quick for her to manage them.

Tamahome sat behind her for the ride, but said nothing. He was worried that if he said anything to try to cheer her up, that the miko would recall his words from before, about forgetting the girl so they could continue on with the mission. Even though he had been right, he didn't want to be acknowledged as such. The fact that they had been on the road for an hour now or so, and she hadn't spoken a word was beginning to worry him.

The florescent butterfly, glad to be out of that cursed cage at last, was stretching his wings, catching a ride with Chichiri as the cat scampered alongside the stallion's much larger steps, and not making as much noise. Glancing up at the mount's rider from time to time, the former monk could detect only one emotion, saturating her aura:

Sadness. A deep, stabbing, downcast look upon her usually bright, energetic visage.

His brow creased in his concern; Nuriko fluttering his wings; disquieted about the whole affair. He hadn't been there for the confrontation, as weren't the others, but whatever had been said between the two girls had most likely been hurtful, if Ren had told his miko to hit the road.

Mitsukake flew quietly overhead, casting a few glimpses down at Chihiro, but decided that now wasn't the best time to talk to the girl. When she wanted to open up to someone, whether it was himself, to which he would listen, or someone else. But for now, silence was the best thing…although the biting quietness was annoying another seishi.

Tasuki trotted alongside his miko on the side opposite of Chichiri, neck turned to the side, as his golden eyes remained focused on her. She had been this way since that stupid girl had…disowned her as a friend. The mere thought of her tears having been caused by that…that… It was enough to make his blood boil, a quiet growl rumbling in his throat.

Chihiro hadn't meant any harm; the idiot wouldn't so much as let her explain! Even though Chihiro had tried her hardest become friends with Ren, the brunette had still let her down, even when the miko had been there for her through one of the toughest times in her life; some thanks after what she did for her!

Blinking and coming out of his thoughts, he noticed that Chihiro's eyes were becoming lidded; she was growing tired. And it was no wonder, Tasuki thought, clearing his throat a moment before he spoke. "Um…Chihiro? Hey…you tired? Wanna find a place t'rest for a bit?"

She didn't even turn her head to look down at him as she answered. "Yes, please…" Her voice sounded dreary, her heart having been trampled upon… Tasuki frowned. By the looks of things, it would take awhile for her to heal from this loss…and he was going to do everything to speed that process up.

At her words, Hotohori slowed to a stop, carefully lowering himself a bit to allow his miko to slide off without too much of a drop. Tamahome climbed off after her, as she then turned back to retrieve the blankets from the former emperor's back she would use to lie on. Scanning their surroundings, he saw that they had picked a good spot to camp out in. The treetops overhead were almost a perfect umbrella for if it happened to rain, and there was plenty of camouflage, cover…the chances of them being seen were greatly reduced.

Spreading the blankets and situating them, Chihiro crawled in and laid her head down, closing her eyes, wishing she could escape this sorrowful ache in her conscience for a few hours to sleep, but soon realized that it was taking awhile for her to drift off.

While she waited, she listened briefly to the sounds her animal seishi made as they too finished making themselves comfortable for the night, as comfortable one could get in the woods. Nuriko, both tiredly and somewhat begrudgingly, had once again floated into his cage, sighing, Tamahome secured it shut before carefully picking it up and ambling over to where the stallion had decided to sleep for the night, where he sat down and leaned back against the larger animal. Hotohori glanced down at the touch, but didn't seem to mind as his own eyelids tugged at sleep, giving a shake of his head that swished his lovely mane about. While the crow lowered himself from his flight onto a low tree branch, Chichiri scanned the area quickly, searching for any signs of nearby danger before he turned in, curling up in a ball with an equal amount of space between the other seishi, and his miko.

The foot of her makeshift sleeping bag shifted, but was not caused by any movement of her own. Peeking out from behind her eyelids, her green eyes saw her dog making himself comfortable beside her, golden eyes sliding up to meet her own as he lightly nudged her hand with his muzzle, a quiet way of telling her everything would be alright, since the proper words had eluded him. And though she didn't smile outwardly, inside she appreciated the gesture.

"Night, Tasuki…"

Used to the usual goodnights they shared, he blinked when she addressed him by his seishi name. Whether he hated it or not, he was beginning to miss his nickname she'd given him, almost wishing for some way he could ease her emotional struggles.

"Night, Chihiro…" Laying his head down, Tasuki closed his eyes and, still guarding his miko, drifted into a light doze.

xXxXx

The god of the northern continent entered through the doors of the mirror room, and, as he expected, his youngest brother was still there, intently staring into the mirror's shimmering depths, leaning on it with his hands lining the outer edge of the oval-shaped object. Shaking his head, and with a small grin, Genbu made his way in and closed the door shut behind him with a simple wave of his hand. Jade robes rustling behind him, he casually made his way up to the mystical mirror as well, peering in for a moment along with the phoenix-god, although Suzaku didn't seem to have noticed his presence. In fact, he seemed to be quietly brooding over something.

The tortoise-god couldn't hide the bemused expression that crept over his face; he and Seiryuu must have been going at it again, as usual. That would never change. "Has anything interesting happened since I was last here, brother?"

Suzaku's crimson irises turned from the looking glass to eye his eldest brother; an angry fire seemed to be burning in those eyes. "No…and yes." The god of the south sighed. "Even though I am the god of love, you would think that I, if anyone, would know how to manipulate the situation to my liking, but I would not wish to take away their free will to do as they liked…"

"Your miko has been having some trouble, I take it?" Genbu inquired in his mature voice.

Suzaku sighed, nodding wearily. "Sou…and now that she has been distracted, I don't know if she will be able to locate my last constellation, Chiriko, as a result."

Genbu shook his head, glancing down at misty surface once more before turning to go sit on the granite throne among the four in the room, after lightly patting his youngest brother's shoulder. "To some extent, I agree with Seiryuu; your current miko does lack the…spunk your previous one did. This one is more on the sheltered side, I believe…"

By the way Suzaku's shoulders tensed, he could tell the southern god's anger was boiling. A slow grin spread over his face as he watched; the younger god's temper was almost as fiery as the element he dominated. "I didn't say she could not fulfill your purpose, brother. Just try to relax…mortals are always this versatile with their emotions, as you probably already know. I am sure that Chihiro will become confident enough when the time comes to unfold your plan."

Suzaku nodded his head to his brother's words. "I know you are right. And I have absolute faith in Chihiro…it only troubles me to see her aching from receiving such a wound I hadn't counted on having inflicted upon her. It all would have gone through smoothly, if it hadn't been for that lizard's seishi trying to give my constellations and miko running exercise…"

Genbu had to chuckle quietly at that remark. "I suppose so, but look at it this way: That girl Chihiro met would have still thought she were a young man, and later on, the results might have been the same, had Seiryuu's warrior attacked or not. At least now you won't have any interference with the…relationship you are trying to build between she, and…" He paused, expression twisting into a light frown, as if he were trying to remember. "And that one seishi of yours - 'Tasuki' - I believe…has been trying to get closer to your miko, correct?"

"Yes…"

"Well then, this shall give him an opportunity to do so," Genbu replied, leaning back fully in his throne, still able to see the goings on in the mirror. "One can make light of any situation, brother." Waving his hand in the air, a scroll appeared, which untied its own string and rolled open as the god clasped it and began pouring over it with his eyes.

Suzaku contemplated his brother's advice a moment before turning back to the mirror. The surface wavered and focused on the sleeping face of his miko. He could only smile sadly, caressing her cheek through the mirror with the back of his hand. 'Chihiro…I am sorry for the pain you are going through…but I must speak with you.'

Closing his eyes, a soft pinkish glow encircled the god's figure and he closed his eyes, slender eyebrows frowning slightly in concentration as he sought a connection with the one who would summon him.

xXxXx

_"Chihiro."_

_The miko moaned softly, eyelids fluttering in her slumber. 'That voice…I've heard it before. That strong, gentle voice…'  
_

_"Chihiro." There it was again. And this time, she knew she was not dreaming it up, as she had first thought. Someone really was trying to reach her._

_Opening her eyes, she bolted straight up, realizing where she was. And wherever she was, her six companions were nowhere nearby. Shifting into a more comfortable position, she scanned the familiar, yet peculiar environment; a vast, endless realm of bright crimson and blood red hews. Never before had she seen anything like this place, except -_

_Then it all came together, recognition lighting up like a bright candle within her mind._

_It was him! The one who had promised to talk with her again weeks before! Now was her chance to ask him those questions about what he had said to her._

_"Please, whoever you are," she began in an uncertain voice, shakily getting to her feet. "I, uh, still have those questions…please, I'm not trying to be a bother, I'm just…really confused right now, and…"_

_A small gust of wind from behind her, ruffling her hair in doing so, directed her to turn around and began to watch with fascination and curiosity as something large, and beautiful soared towards her, its mighty wings beating against the wind majestically, long intricate feathers sparkling like precious gems. And she was not afraid. How could she be? It looked so magical…whatever this great bird was._

_As it floated by, time seemed to stand still; just as the wonder passed her by, its eye turned to her direction, making a dead-on contact with her own. A sense of peace washed over her, warming her downtrodden spirit. It had felt so wonderful that the questions she'd kept for weeks completely slipped her mind. In fact, she couldn't help but feel that… almost felt as if the creature were smiling at her, though it was hard to tell by its expression._

_Then, it spoke: "Don't let yourself be troubled. Forge onward with the best of your capability, and find the seventh star. He is waiting for you somewhere nearby; find him. Find him and return to Mt. Taikyoku for further instructions from Taiitsukun. And let your seishi help you. Hurry, Chihiro…hurry; there isn't much time left. Hurry…"_

xXxXx

Lime-green eyes drifted open, blinking up into the early morning sky. The stars were still shining brightly in the heavens, some of them winking at her as she shifted under the blankets, drawing a hand out to rub her eyes. 'That dream…' The serenity granted to her in the vision was still with her, cooling the pain from her internal injury, though it still ached inside of her. 'Who…what was that? That beautiful creature…' Brief images from her dream flashed across her mind, recalling his words. '"Find the seventh star…"' Chihiro sat up, careful not to jar her sleeping canine companion beside her.

The bird had said that he, 'Chiriko', was somewhere nearby. In these woods? Peering into the woods beyond their clearing were nothing but darkness and trees. Thick, tall clusters of trees. And there wasn't even a cricket to be heard bowing its song in the quietness of the night. She felt no danger, but after her encounter with that wolf earlier in the day, she had grown wary of going off alone…

"But he said I don't have much time left…" she thought aloud to herself in a hushed whisper. "Taiitsukun said that this world was crumbling, and as the Suzaku no miko, I have to summon him…but…" She shot another glance towards the woods. Moaning, she eased her legs out from beneath the warmth of her coverlet, rising to her feet and moved through the camp on tiptoe. 'I can find Chiriko really quick if I try…that bird said he was somewhere nearby, right?' she told herself, nearing the border of their camp; her foot landed on a dried twig, snapping it under her weight. Chihiro froze, holding her breath, eyes darting to each sleeping animal and, when none of them stirred, she sighed in relief and stepping fully into the shadows.

Chichiri cracked open his right eye just in time to see her wonder off. He sighed, stretching. 'She should know better than to go off alone by now no da…' His thoughts were cut short as he yawned, blinking back sleep in his rich mahogany orbs. Sighing, he commanded his body to rise, briefly wondering what time it was before the sound of wings reached his sensitive feline ears, causing them to twitch as the sound waves entered, directing his head to look up.

"I'll bring her back," the crow informed him, hovering before him by the soft movement of his wings. Mitsukake turned to follow his miko, calling over his shoulder gently, "Go back to sleep."

Smiling gratefully, the cream-colored feline curled up in a ball, fidgeting a bit before he finally was comfortable, and slipped off into his dreams again.

xXxXx

("Ren-san…do you trust me?")

The words resounded through her memory over, and over...only bringing tears to her eyes as she lie in bed. Her pillow had long since been wet from crying. She had been crying before she reached the home of her cousin, even before she reached her room. But she let them escape more freely, now that she was sure no one could hear.

Feeling another round of sobs coming, Ren hastily buried her face in the soft, white fabric and cried, shoulders trembling. She winced as the action roused a miniature sprout of pain from her bite wound, but could stop herself. The ache in her heart outweighed her physical pain. It felt like her chest was being torn apart inside…

"Hiro-san…" she whispered dismayingly, almost wishing he had heard her. Or that he was even real. Grasping the pillow tightly with her hands, she hid her face once more, sniffling as tears stained and dampened her cheeks. . And, quietly, she began to hum a song she had sung, only that morning, remembering how she had felt before it happened…before she found out that the person she had loved, lied to her. Played with her emotions. Treated her so cruelly…

"Hiroshi…" The love she had felt was a lie… And it was just as well, she regretfully admitted, that the love she had wanted was never returned. Quivering, Ren closed her eyes, letting the salty liquid drain from her reddened eyes. She would eventually cry herself into an uneasy sleep, trying to forget…

xXxXx

"When you said he was nearby…" Chihiro ducked beneath a low tree limb, murmuring to herself as she glanced down at the ground every now and then to watch her footing. It was darker now than it had been back at camp. "Could you have given me a clearer definition of what you meant by 'nearby,' Suzaku-seikun?" The heavens gave no reply. She sighed. "Maybe I'm close to—"

A shriek tore through the night air, swooping down upon her. With a startled scream of her own, Chihiro dove for the ground, narrowly missing the whatever-it-was that flew out at her just now. She had upset an animal, possibly? Turning her head around to size up what type of animal it could have been, she gasped to see the creature bearing down on her again! Rolling away from its attack, she followed the progress of its flight with widened green eyes. Something wasn't right… "Ch…Chiriko?" she asked timidly.

"There will be no getting away from me, Suzaku no miko." An angry, yet whiny voice came from above, along with the sound of wings beating in the night air.

No way… "Not another one!" Chihiro scrambled to get to her feet. She had to get back to camp! She had to get back to where the others were. At least she wouldn't be alone… She would be with her friends, who cared for her and would protect her.

"Where do you think you're going!" The figure zoomed before her, cutting her off from her escape route. Cutting her off from her friends. "My objective is to kill you, and you're not getting away!"

xXxXx

**A/N:** Well! What did you think? Yes, I know it took me forever to update! Don't hate me! hides But hey, at least I updated it! Nyah! R&R, pleaseness?

Translation Notes:

1) Yomero yo- Stop it

2) Oyasumi- Good night

3) Minna- Everyone

4) Sou- Yes


	16. Battle in Flight

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yugi, and do not plan to use it for profit, or glory, or anything what so ever! It belongs to the wonderful Yuu Watase-sama, who thought up this great, and fantastic anime series! Now then, on with the fic!

" – speaking

' – thoughts

xXxXx

Being cut off from one direction, Chihiro quickly turned on her heel, making a beeline for the nearest clump of brush. Maybe, if it was thick as it looked, she could get away from her flighty pursuer.

"Get back here!" the new animal yelled with a shriek, diving at her once more from the sky and spreading its talons wide apart as if to snatch up its next meal. She screamed in reaction to something stabbing into her shoulder, but swung out with her other hand trying to knock away the relentless bird of prey. Eventually succeeding after a small struggle, she darted into the foliage, lying low and panting.

'Was…was that a hawk?' her inner voice exclaimed. First a wolf, and now a hawk? Lovely! Next thing she knew, she would probably bump into a lion, a tiger, or maybe, another bear; what, with all the wonderful luck she had been having recently. In that next moment, she smacked herself in the forehead for naming the animals in that order.

"You can't hide in there forever!" The branches of the protective thicket were jostled viciously. "When I find a way in there- Hey! Who do you think you are!"

Chihiro blinked, a bit confused. Was the enemy animal now talking to someone else? Quieting her breathing the best she could, the miko tried to hone in on what was happening on the other side of the greens-scented veil. She heard the rapid beating of wings; like two birds flogging each other. Great…now there were more of them! Just what she needed right now.

'Nice job…' she chided herself, wanting to knock her head against something if she weren't so low to the ground. Leave it to her to mess up like this; was it just her, or was she developing a habit? Hell if she knew…

"Stay out of this, Suzaku scum!" she heard the feathery foe demand, and the next moment she heard something crash into the ground. Whatever it was, it was injured. She had heard a low grunt of pain as it hit the ground, in a voice like that of a person - Chihiro recalled the last part of its sentence. "Suzaku scum"-- One of her warriors! Now she was worried.

"How about you just stay there, in the dirt where you belong!" The falcon's words slid out in a dangerous murmur. "You idiots waste so much energy trying to fight against us, when it's obvious that you're already beat. Why don't you try just giving up; I'm sure it wouldn't prove any more difficult to kill you!" The enemy mocked, returning to attack her shelter again. "Just come out! It will be easier for the both of us if you—" A surprised screech broke its words, and the miko heard the click of snapping jaws; a small gust of wind rattled the bushes as it took flight to a safer height.

The orange dog stuck his head into the undergrowth and unexpectedly came nose to nose with his priestess; both sweatdropped, but the canine's annoyed countenance remained. He withdrew, moving back so she could crawl out.

"You like gettin' inta trouble?" he barked, muzzle wrinkling slightly as he spoke but did not bare his fangs.

Looking about her surroundings, Chihiro saw that her other seishi were present, coming out of the darkness towards her. Snapping her head in his direction, she popped open her mouth to argue, "I know! I'm sor-I was just try-"Then decided against saying anything further, since she was just babbling. The Suzaku no miko bowed her head in disgrace as well as frustration, biting her lip. Besides, she didn't feel like explaining to the impatient 'wing' seishi about how the beast-god had appeared to her in a dream, explaining that 'Chiriko' was nearby…

"Gomen nasai…" she murmured.

"Girls!" The former bandit barked in vexation, rotating on all four of his legs to scan over their heavy-eyed companions coming to their side in the chaos that had been stirred up within a few moments time.

"You are not hurt, are you, Chihiro?" Hotohori's concerned features were erased as he ducked an aerial assault from the enemy warrior. Tamahome, on the stallion's back, fell off with a startled cry and, unfortunately, pulled Nuriko's home down to the ground with him. The butterfly squeaked, getting banged around even as the monkey held onto the small cage. Nuriko insisted he be left out, to help in the fray. Frowning up at the sky where falcon encircled, arranging for another attack, the seishi marked with the 'oni' picked himself up, dusting himself off as Nuriko glared from within his confines.

"Let me out!" he demanded, flapping his wings, sweet alto voice swelling with rage.

Tasuki was helping his priestess to crawl out from the shrubbery by pulling lightly on her sleeve. While doing so, he kept his golden eyes fixed upon the sky.

Chihiro checked her warriors, noticing the crow scuttling over to be with the rest of them, his left wing hanging limply while the tip dragged on the ground. She winced; his wing had been broken. He was met by Chichiri, and the two spoke quietly; the cat with a concerned look clouding his features.

'Mitsukake has to have been the other voice I heard...' She lowered her lime-green eyes guiltily; was it that all she ever did was cause trouble?

A shadow passed over the ground at her feet, growing in size as it moved. Before she could blink, trepidation seized a hold of her. "Chichiri!" The miko watched in horror as their enemy dove down with lightning speed, faster than her warrior could turn, and carry off the small feline in its clutches. "No!"

"LET. ME. OUT!" Nuriko called out in annoyance for the fifth time, flapping fiercely within his little home. "Or I'll let myself out! NOW!"

Tamahome quickly worked to undo the latch, releasing the exotically colored seishi butterfly into the night air, watching worryingly as he rose up, higher to where the falcon was examining its struggling catch.

"Let's see…I caught the cat?" Its head looked down at the small animal in its clutches, a smirk curving the corners of its curved bill. Briefly, he recalled hearing the enemy priestess crying out a name… "Chichiri, huh? So…which one of the Suzaku idiots were you, again?" He murmured more to himself than its present catch. The falcon couldn't seem to recall the exact human face of the animal grasped in its talons, puzzlement shrouding its unusual blue eyes.

Chichiri's eyes narrowed, ears flattening and further pronouncing his anger as the four nails stabbed into his shoulder. The gashes beginning to form, burned, the trickles of blood poured out, staining his whitish fur. "You haven't caught anything…" he hissed, claws extending and clamping them into one of the bird's legs. It squawked in pain, releasing him into the air, and he dropped towards the earth.

The former monk braced himself for a hard contact with the ground, but felt something grab onto one of his front paws. Looking up, he saw the butterfly hurriedly flapping his wings to slow their death plunge. And just in time. He breathed a relieved word of thanks, moments later being lowered into his concerned miko's waiting arms.

"Daijoubu desu ka, Chichiri?" She could not help but hug the little cat, not meaning to make him wince forgetting for a moment his injury. Chihiro was simply grateful he hadn't been hurt further. But the blood still made her shudder, glancing back up at the sky uneasily.

He shifted in her grasp, one eye closed as if to suppress pain. "It's not that bad, no da…"

Nearby, he spotted the dog seishi standing over the crow, watching the sky with vast intensity burning in his eyes. Mitsukake had already been ill treated for coming to her aid… The former healer and Nuriko were the only ones with the ability to fly. And the violet-colored seishi, a butterfly. Things didn't look good for them right then…

"Who _is_ that!" Nuriko demanded while keeping his eyes fixed on the sky.

Hotohori came up behind them, anxiously pawing the ground with a front hoof. He was the largest of all the Suzaku warriors, and yet still powerless to fight; their new enemy could fly, having complete access to the wide expanses of sky above them. The stallion could only watch, and make sure none of his other companions and miko came to any more harm.

Chihiro saw the falcon turning about in the sky, diving down for another strike. The girl gave a small cry, nearly pitching into the 'star' seishi behind her and bent her upper body forward, so as to shield the 'well' seishi in her arms from its touch. But its target was not the cat, as she soon discovered. Only too late.

Tasuki's sharp eyes could see the path of its strike, eyes widening. "Tama-!"

"Long time, no see, huh, Tamahome?" The falcon jeered, sinking his talons into the small primate's flesh and hefting him from the ground in one swift movement.

"Damn it!" Nuriko's wings couldn't keep up with the Seiryuu warrior's.

"Nuriko, come back down here!" Chihiro had already climbed onto Hotohori's chestnut back, holding out the small cage with its door open. "Get in; we can catch up if we hurry!" The butterfly began his descent as quickly as he could.

Tasuki trotted over to the rest, Mitsukake hobbling after, still dragging his hurt wing behind him. "I'll stay here…Mitsukake can't keep up with us like this." The way he fidgeted, Chichiri as well as the others could sense that he wanted to be along with them, with his miko… "An' the loser might come back…" he hesitated. "Jus' be careful, alright?"

Chihiro nodded, resting her hand lightly on the majestic steed's neck as she bent down closer to his ear in her urgency. "Hotohori! We need to hurry!"

xXxXx

Wincing, the monkey did manage to recognize whose voice it was. "S-Suboshi!" The sharp pain stabbing into his shoulders was almost unbearable. "Let…go of me, now!" Then thought differently; being as high up as they were, a small part of the 'ghost' warrior hoped the bird of prey didn't do as he demanded. Not just yet, anyway.

The stupid bird had already wounded Chichiri and Mitsukake, and now the Seiryuu warrior was carrying him off to do who knows what to him. And the rest of the rest of the Suzaku warriors were running behind, not being able to match the falcon's speed and agility on the ground.

"Tamahome!" Chihiro cried from below, voice growing fainter to him the higher up into the sky they raised. Maybe this was it. He would be one of the first to be killed this time…

"Now, let's see…" he thought aloud. "Do I drop you above any given spot?" Suboshi's eyes gleamed wickedly. "Or tear you up some more, and then throw you down to your friends? That way, you can die just like your family did." The falcon delivered another sharp squeeze to his injured captive; Tamahome clenched his fists, determined not to make a sound.

His family… They had been at the mercy of the metal orbs, each tied to both ends of a long cord, a weapon called a ryuseisui. Tamahome flinched, giving his head a shake in an attempt to try and banish the memories of the massacre he came home to on that fateful day, so long ago. To see his dear father, and younger siblings all brutally slaughtered…

Yuiren. A lump formed in his throat. She had only been five-years-old, and the only one of them to hold on, drawing in one gasping breath after another while a gaping hole in the center of her chest leaked countless amounts of blood, the dark liquid pooling around her little broken body…

Tamahome closed his eyes, fists trembling at the images that still haunted him. 'I won't give this sick bastard the satisfaction…I won't!'

"That gully up ahead looks like a good place…" Suboshi mused aloud. "What do you think, Tamahome? Or would a real falcon's nest suit you better?"

"Damn you…" All he received in response to his curse was mocking laughter.

A glint reflected the moonlight in the night sky, and in the next instant an object slammed into their right at lightning speed, knocking the falcon out of balance for only a moment. The unexpected clout disoriented him a moment, as well as making the area near his ribs throb. Keeping a secure grasp on his enemy, Suboshi soon righted himself in the air, looking around wildly for the cause of—

It struck again, and the Seiryuu warrior grunted in pain as it had come more from above that time. Tamahome glanced up, a wink of silvery light wiggling a few yards away. His violet eyes narrowed as he squinted to bring the fleeing shape into focus. His vision was failing him, probably due to flesh-ripping pain as he forced himself to stay awake. The small mandrill watched the glimmer float away, then after making a half circle in the night air, flew back at them with surprising speed. Suboshi had managed to dodge, but not far enough. This time the 'oni' seishi caught sight of two taloned claws slamming into his captor's right leg. Out of reflex, he was dropped.

xXxXx

The three seishi and their miko had been following Suboshi and Tamahome for only a couple of moments, when they too saw a darkened figure with gleaming silver wingtips batter into the falcon, and several times after.

"What is that thing?" Nuriko watched nervously, fearing for his brother warrior's safety; was it a real hawk that wanted his friend now? He could not tell.

Chichiri frowned up at the starry sky, the startled shrieks echoing into his pointed ears. "I think this bird knows what it's doing…" he said it in a voice as if he were trying to convince himself of it, as well as the others from where he rode in front of Chihiro. There was something different about this animal. Something that seemed oddly familiar… He knew…

"Oh!"

He heard his priestess cry out in fright as she saw one of her warriors falling to his death, much like he almost had. Nuriko had been there to prevent the drop in his case. Heart pounding, he normally would cast a levitation spell to save his younger companion. But in his form, he couldn't utilize those abilities! 'Tamahome!' The cat could only watch, powerless.

Hotohori's gallop nearly skidded to a stop as he saw one of Suzaku's chosen fall, instead attempted to run faster, all the while knowing that his efforts would be in vain. 'Death among us so soon! Our true mission has not yet begun… Suzaku, you can not do this to us now!'

Nuriko's mind blanked, words dying before he could form them. He wanted desperately to help his friend, but by the time he got someone to open his cage, and let him out, he wouldn't make it up to him in time… To his surprise, the bars pulled back and away from him. No waiting. The butterfly flew out of the caged shadows, and into the air.

**  
**Chihiro had been the one responsible for undoing the latch, hands clasped around the round cage nervously, eyes following her seishi and heart beating wildly as the descent decreased the space between the 'oni' warrior and the earth below. In those few seconds, she couldn't breathe; all other thoughts fled, being replaced with irrepressible terror. One of her seishi was going to die; Nuriko wasn't going to make it to him— 'Please…! Don't let him die…!' Turning her head away, her eyes snapped shut, not wanting to see him hitting the ground at neck-breaking speed.

Their panic cut short when a familiar glint of silver caught their eyes. The winged figure that had knocked Tamahome loose flew under him, catching his limp form on its back before flapping over to them. Hotohori allowed it to perch on his thick neck as his trembling miko removed the wounded warrior from its care.

"Yokatta…" Chihiro cringed at his injuries, arranging him in her arms as carefully as she could, making a small sound of sadness when the monkey would moan from the movement aggravating the claw wounds.

By this time, Nuriko had returned to his star brothers and priestess, unable to keep his wine-colored eyes off the stranger among them. Antennae twitching, the 'willow' was about to speak up, being beaten to the punch by the former-monk.

"There is something…" Chichiri took an inquisitive step closer as he studied their feathery ally, mostly by staring hard into a pair of aqua green eyes…

"I'm sorry that I didn't sense you earlier, guys," a young, yet serious voice answered the former monk's unspoken query. He ruffled his ashen feathers, tips lined with silver, while he communicated his lateness to four pairs of astonished eyes. "I could not manage very well, flying against the winds tonight."

"Chiriko!" Both the cat and butterfly cried, almost in unison. The little owl smiled at them both, before twisting his head around halfway to peer up into the sky again where a form was still circling.

Hotohori was already doing the same; he had been from the moment the owl touched down on his back. "He is still here…"

"Not for long, he won't be…" Nuriko remarked from his resting place on Chihiro's shoulder, casting worried glances at his brother warrior from time to time. Fluttering to the ground, he picked up a good-sized rock with all six of his arms…or legs. "This will help send him on his way…"

"No, minna-san! Matte!" Chiriko lifted a wing for the 'willow' seishi to place the object back where he found it. "Chichiri-san and Tamahome-san are injured…I also felt Mitsukake-san's pain as well." His young eyes, aqua green swirling with determination, watched the enemy warrior above them. "It is my fight, this time."

Chihiro stared down at the little owl, taken by his strength. So…this was her last warrior? Unlike the others, his voice sounded so young…yet exceedingly knowledgeable. Shifting her eyes back up to the sky, and then down to the moaning 'oni' warrior in her arms, the miko gave a small nod. "Be careful…"

Her newest warrior gave a small nod, flapping his wings and tucking his taloned feet beneath him as he lifted into the air, easily ascending to the level in the early morning sky still scattered with stars where Suboshi awaited. Nuriko glanced between the rest of his friends, and where Chiriko was headed.

"I'll stay behind, in case he needs help." He replied. Sure, while the little owl had obviously proven himself in a fight, he was still only a kid…younger than all of them. He wouldn't interfere, and make the boy feel useless or incapable of handling the situation on his own. The butterfly would just linger to give that blasted bird an extra thrust into the distance when the opportunity presented itself.

As uncomfortable as she felt about leaving the insect seishi out and unprotected by his cage, Chihiro didn't want her seventh to face that awful bird of prey alone. She nodded. "You be careful, too…all right?"

Giving a nod, he fluttered his wings in preparation to fly, eventually lifting from his resting place into the air.

xXxXx

Taiitsukun sat before her great mirror, tense, hands folded in her long flowing sleeves. All the Nyan-nyans floating around her looked about ready to cry, some of them yelling at the mirror image of the warrior marked with the symbol for 'angle' to get away from the Suzaku seven, not realizing that the falcon of Seiryuu could not hear them.

The Oracle frowned, watching as the youngest warrior dealt out blows to the enemy and took many himself, but the owl would regain his balance in the sky and fight back. Within her mirror, a violet butterfly tried to deliver his own attack on the Seiryuu only to be smacked away by one of its powerful wings.

"Stay out of this; it doesn't involve you!" Suboshi snarled at the 'willow,' still angry that the little owl had ruined his chance to destroy his enemy, the one marked with the 'oni.' For interfering, the Suzaku seishi was going to pay. "He's mine!"

Chiriko cried out from a hard thrust to his shoulder, sending him spiraling into a tree, crashing through the leafy branches. The falcon pursued, mercilessly.

Nuriko, recovering from the hard knock, shook his head and rushed to the younger warrior's aid as fast as his lovely wings would carry him. 'We need more help…!' the butterfly seishi's mind raced, pushing him to move faster as another cry burst from within the green foliage, light reflecting off the leaves as the morning broke.

xXxXx

The orange dog felt his sensitive ears twitch as the sound waves entered, glancing up when he saw the animal responsible for the hoof beats approaching. They were back. Thank the gods… Now he could stop tormenting himself with all the 'what ifs' and 'supposes' that popped into his head one after the other.

'Wait, where's Nuriko?' Worry took hold of him; glancing over at Mitsukake, Tasuki could sense a deep concern in the crow just by studying his expression. Wordlessly, the 'wing' seishi took a few steps forward. "Yer all back! Took ya long enough!"

As the others approached, he could see the red blood marking the cream-colored cat's fur at his right shoulder; how the jostle from the gallop was hurting him. It made him regret his words, falling silent. Hotohori looked uneasy, as did his female rider, Chihiro; his priestess and one he cared for a great deal. As they drew closer, he could also see something tucked in her arms, something limb and— his sharp canine nose detected the scent of blood coming from it.

A yard away, the chestnut stallion dug in his hooves, sliding to a halt and waited as his passengers climbed off of him. Chihiro could only use one arm to slip off, nearly tripping in the process. Her green eyes, wide with worry, strayed down to the one she was carrying. Tasuki recognized his brother warrior immediately.

"Tamahome!" He quickly made his way over, the crow following. The two reached them just as Chichiri hopped to the ground and regain his balance, wincing even though his injured leg was tucked underneath his body. Hearing Tasuki's voice though, he looked up just as the former-bandit reached them.

His miko cradled her third-found warrior carefully, clothes getting stained in the process. He was still bleeding, and barely conscious. "We left our supplies back at the camp… we need to bandage him immediately!" She turned her head. "You and Mitsukake are hurt, too, Chichiri…"

"I can wait," The cat settled himself down in the grass, gingerly maneuvering his injured leg to a better position outstretched in front of him, just as the crow joined him at his side. "See to Tamahome first, no da." Mitsukake nodded in agreement.

"I can heal him somewhat, with what energy I do have…"

Being the oldest of the group, always looking out for everyone else, Chichiri gently shook his head. "Wait until you have enough, no da. Don't waste your strength."

"I won't be…hold still." Bowing his head, the crow began to activate his Suzaku-given powers, the soothing green bubbles flowing into the open wound and clotting the blood, decreasing its size.

Tasuki nodded to his miko. "I'll double back an' get th'supplies… Where's Nuriko?" he asked, looking around for a sign of the butterfly.

Hotohori swished his tail, watching his upset miko trying to keep Tamahome from lapsing into unconsciousness. "He stayed behind with Chiriko, to help him fight—"

Amber eyes widened in excitement. "Chiriko's here?" Tasuki turned away from his intended path, having many other questions to ask, but calmed himself, remembering what he had to go fetch. "…I'll be right back…" Turning, he darted into the shadows.

"Keep your eyes on me, don't look away…" Chihiro instructed the monkey; gently turning his head back to face hers. "You have to stay awake for a little bit longer, okay?" He made no response, but forced his weary eyelids to remain open a while longer.

xXxXx

Chiriko lost his balance on the tree branch as he stumbled backwards to avoid another attack. He gasped, falling from his perch. Luckily, he recovered; steadying himself with a powerful flap of is wings. Although, just as he had done that, the youngest Suzaku warrior screamed, feeling himself shoved into the earth at the tall tree's base, wind getting knocked out of him as the little owl landed on his back, hard.

Scrunching two large aqua-green orbs shut in pain, he could not see physically him from where he was pinned, but could mentally envision the enemy seishi as he taunted him.

"I don't think I've ever fought against you before…" The talons dug into him, not as deeply as he had done with the others. "And its no wonder…they probably never left you fight because you were so weak!"

With a small shove, Suboshi took flight again, ruffling the many ashen feathers of the Suzaku warrior. Chiriko couldn't move; the endless throbbing throughout his body, especially his head, refused to leave him. Cracking open an eye, he watched as the combatant marked with 'angle' glowing a brilliant blue on his right shoulder, flew up into the sky. No doubt coming back for his last attack.

It frustrated the little owl that no matter how he tried, he always came up short. Briefly, his thoughts went to his battle against the dark sorcerer of the Seiryuu seven, Miboshi. The way it had ended, and by his own hand at that. 'Why can't I ever seem to do anything right unless I kill myself…?'

Suboshi figured he was at the right altitude and slowed his ascent, whipping around to face his smaller opponent, whom still lingered on the spot he'd landed him. Corners of his beak twisting into a smirk, the dark blue eyes targeted his new prey. "Time to die…" he snickered, about to fall into a dive to finish the other off.

Something tugged at his tail feathers. Puzzled, he looked back, lifting a feathery brow when he saw a violet butterfly pulling him further away from his intended target, surrounded by a faint crimson aura. His anger flared. "Let go of me!" Suboshi snapped at the Suzaku seishi, moving forward in spite of the other's efforts to restrain him. Nuriko dodged, managing to keep a hold on him.

'I hate this!' The 'willow' vented his anger only in his thoughts, trying to prevent any more harm from coming to the youngest of his brothers, and yet, he was slipping, bit by bit. 'If we were all human, I could have trounced this idiot long ago!'

"Suzaku filth!" Suboshi tried wriggling around in another attempt to bite at his enemy with his sharp beak. It would be worse if his talons caught him. "Let go now! Damn you!" For a split second, using a wing, both of which were keeping him airborne, he swatted at the butterfly and knocked him free. Blue eyes glittered in murderous vengeance, turning back to his initial goal; killing that owl. Chiriko hadn't moved far, still out of breath. Now, to dive down and …

Off in the distance, the soft song of a dove called clearly into the early morning. At that, all eyes, wherever they were, turned in the direction of the gentle song.

The falcon's claws clenched, tensing like a human fist out of frustration, wanting to ignore the tender prodding, but couldn't, eyes darting in the direction of the other bird's voice. With a sigh of resignation, he gave in, changing his course in the sky. "My revenge will have to wait. Catch you later, losers…" A couple more powerful flaps and Suboshi zoomed into the distance and out of sight. The dove's song ceased, stillness falling all about them.

Nuriko watched him vanish from his sight. 'Now what was that all about?' His own questions would have to wait as he fluttered down to check on Chiriko. They had better get back to the others, in case this was a trick. Continuing to stare off into the distance as he lingered in flight for his youngest brother to join him, which the owl soon did. Chiriko was battered, but otherwise, none the worse, to the 'willow's relief.

"Think you can fly back with me?" he asked.

"Sou," he responded with an easy nod. Together, they cautiously winged it back to the others.

xXxXx

**_A/N: _**WAAAAI! At last! An update, no da! jumps around I'm probably more happy than my reviewers, I realize that ;; grows uneasy about all the evil glares I'm sorry, alright! School has been a real butt lately, and my grades are good…except for two subjects, heh… But I passed for the third quarter, so that's good! Still would like a B, though…

Anyway, you don't want to hear my ramblings! R&R and tell me what you think! Don't worry… Chapter 17 is already in the making, peoples. S'all good! Well…see ya!

Translation notes:

1) Gomen nasai- I'm sorry

2) Daijoubu desu ka- Are you alright?

3) minna-san- A respectful term for 'everyone' if all are older than you

4) Yokatta-Thank goodness

5) Matte- wait

6) Sou- yes


	17. New Company

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yûgi, or any of the characters in it, or plan to use them for profit in any way, what-so-ever! They belong to the wonderful Yû Watase-sama, so don't sue me because I doubt it if you want my brain all that bad! Now, I do own Chihiro, Ren, and Shuro. Take them, and you will be stealing. And I will not be happy. I will be very put out. I get scary when I'm not happy. Okay, now that I've properly freaked you out, on with the fic!

"-speaking

'-thoughts

xXxXx

Byakko cringed, approaching the stiffening form still bracing his arms against the edge of the mirror. The redheaded god, the one the western deity had been watching over the passed few hours, did not look to be in too talkative a mood at the moment. Why, the phoenix-god's aura swelled up about his form so brilliantly that he was sure it would burn a hole in the granite floor!

"Suzaku…otouto?" he questioned in a quiet, unsure tone, taking a cautioned step towards the fuming being. "You are not…planning to confront Seiryuu again…are you?" Dead silence was the only reply he received.

And while this further ignited the horror within the tiger-god, nearby, resting casually in his throne as always, was Genbu-seikun, watching both his younger brothers' reactions.

Who needed to be entertained by the everyday happenings of mortals through glass, when his own siblings somehow managed to occupy his time every single moment of the day? 'Suzaku's temper will flare to its full capacity any moment now…' The land tortoise leaned on his hand, looking on with a bit of expectancy. 'And Byakko just may be the one to set him off.' He added with an irritated grunt.

Taking a deep, prolonged breath in an attempt to salvage what control he did have, Suzaku turned away from the looking glass and around to storm—stroll for the door at the other end of the star-scattered room in the heavens.

It seemed as though the dragon had mistaken his warning for a bluff. Well…that stupid lizard would not be laughing for long, once _he_ was through with him.

Genbu and Byakko both observed their youngest sibling's countenance. Seiryuu would definitely be in for it if they let Suzaku out of their sight. Already, he had just about reached the door. The eldest turned to the second eldest.

"Don't you plan to stop him, then?" The northern god questioned.

Byakko, in response, glanced from his oldest brother to the youngest. Then sending an exasperated glare at the one garbed in jade fabrics, the purely white clothed god went after the one decked out in shades of scarlet and crimson.

"Oh, do come on, Suzaku! You can't go blowing up at Seiryuu over _every_ little thing!" A pearly hand came down on the phoenix-god's shoulder. "Come on! It is a waste of time and energy to begin with! You know how insensitive Seiryuu is about love and, well…mostly anything you specialize in…" If anything, the words made the southern god more livid, as he gave the door a good shove open to exit.

And possibly stir up hell just down the hall.

The tiger-god saw this conversation was going nowhere, but was not willing to recognize that his own voice in the matter was only adding alcohol to an open wound. In desperation, he called out, "Suzaku! Genbu-san and I will not have you blasting holes in the walls again; just on the account of your brother's meddling! Taiitsukun-sama will _not _be amused if this squabble triggers a massive storm down on the mortal world...!"

"I doubt it if he even hears you anymore," Genbu's calm monotone spoke up down the hall having followed the two perhaps just out of curiosity. 'I probably would ignore him myself.' The cat could be unbelievably annoying with his own little tendency to scheme, interfering in the older god's business from time to time.

He was brought out of his inner thoughts by a shrill explosion, not too far away from where he stood. A moment later his two siblings reentered the chamber, Byakko at a dead run which did not stop until he was hidden behind Genbu, cautiously peeking out over the other's shoulder.

Suzaku walked in passing directly in front of his eldest brother with an almost frightening sense of calm the northern deity had seen, though the redhead's eyes glittered darkly as they shown with his rage. A light hue of pink shrouded his form, further pronouncing his anger.

Strangely enough, his youngest brother reminded the tortoise-god of one of the phoenix god's own celestial warriors, although the symbol blazing on the redhead's forehead did not read 'ogre.'

"What did you do now?" he asked as if this occurrence took place every day, swiveling slightly in his place to take a peek behind him, down at the tiger.

"N-nothing!" Byakko chanced a glance out at his youngest brother. His white hands latched on to his brother's arms turning him to face the southern deity in full as he backed away, always making sure that something—in this case, someone—was between himself and the angered divinity.

"…What bet…?" Suzaku purred, voice sounding in stark contrast to his outward show of emotions. He looked about ready to ring his older brother's neck!

"Yes, do say something, Byakko-san. I so would prefer not to be used as a shield…" He was starting to grow tired of their antics for today. 'Perhaps I could blast the both of them into the wall and that way the wrath from _Her_ would not be as great, should this be allowed to continue…' "What bet?" Genbu found himself repeating the words.

The god of the western lands faltered, gulping as he saw the phoenix gathering an orb of energy into his hand; the dangerous element he dominated flickered menacingly between his fingers while Suzaku advanced another step.

He was struggling to subdue his rage until he got an answer out of the other. "What bet…? Please…tell me." After that, well, things didn't look too good for either of his older brothers. Immediately, he had decided that if Genbu did not move aside, it would be his own fault.

Suzaku wasn't even that close, and already, he could feel the intense heat from the aura surrounding the other deity. With a woeful moan, and giving himself up for loss, he confessed.

xXxXx

Full fury erupted in the heavens. Taiitsukun's brow twitched in irritation. "Those four haven't grown up _at all_ over the last thousand years…" Silencing the giggling of a dozen Nyan-nyans with a single glare, the Oracle transported herself to split up this fray, before things became more out of hand than they already had become.

xXxXx

A tremor shook the ground under their feet, making the miko and her celestial warriors stop dead. "An earthquake?" Chiriko made a gentle landing on a branch near to the ground, testing his weight on it first before settling and folding his wings to rest. Before he could ponder over it longer, the vibrating stopped, being replaced by a distant rumbling. The little owl joined the cat as he directed his aqua-green eyes overhead.

"It looks like a storm might be coming, no da…" Chichiri pointed out the obvious from his seat on Hotohori's back, a small frown appearing over his feline features as the larger animal slowly walked along the wooded trail. The small cat's shoulder-wound had been bandaged, but no longer posed as much of a threat. The black crow perched behind him, trying to stand the ride with his broken wing. With his guidance, Chihiro had managed to put it into an awkward splint for him.

"Numerous rain clouds are already starting to gather," the youngest warrior informed the others indicating to the said clouds with a point from his silver-tipped wings.

Hotohori paused in his steps, also lifting a head towards the graying skies. "You may be right," he spoke softly. "Hopefully the weather will hold back until we have found shelter."

Leaning against the stallion's shoulder to take a brief rest, Chihiro lifted a hand to her forehead, sweeping her bangs back. Carefully nestled in her other arm, another bandaged form moaned softly.

She had insisted on carrying Tamahome. He was the most hurt out of all of them, and the miko felt responsible for all of their injuries; if she had never run off, they may have avoided Suboshi. Three of her warriors would never have gotten hurt. Chihiro felt absolutely horrible about her mistake, hardly having spoken since the incident.

The girl from another world hadn't taken into account that, perhaps, if she hadn't gone in the middle of the night, the group may never have found their last member until much, much later. So, in an odd sort of way, they were making up lost time.

Trotting along side her, Tasuki set down the small metal cage dangling from his mouth which housed the 'willow' seishi in order for him to speak; the butterfly did not look at all happy to be back within the cramped confines, but when his priestess brought up the issue of birds possibly deciding to have a go at him, what other choice did he have? Glaring off down the path and sporadically twitching his lovely-colored wings was the only sign of frustration he gave.

Amber eyes silently watched his miko's movements, Tasuki standing in her shadow. "We can switch," he offered vaguely, tapping the side of her leg with a paw to get her attention. "If ya wanna."

The Suzaku no miko glanced down at her dog, shaking her head. "Iie…I'm alright," Her voice was hesitant, lime-green eyes darting nervously over at her other warriors. Maybe they were still just a little mad at her for what happened, and it would be better if she spoke a less amount of time, and convert her energy to walking. And carrying Tamahome.

She lowered her voice. "I don't mind…and I don't want to risk moving him." With her free hand, she brushed her fingertips along the side of her warrior's face; bleary violet eyes opened briefly at the touch, closing soon after. "Tamahome looks as if he's in enough pain already…" she murmured sadly.

Silence.

"Fine," the former-bandit added flatly, bending to pick up the cage again. His pointed ears twitched, though, making him look up. He said nothing aloud, until he was sure. Something was coming.

Looking up at the cat, he could tell that the 'well' seishi had heard it, too, as had the former-emperor and owl. Within the next few moments, the sound became clearer to those among the group with normal hearing capabilities: Running. Someone was dashing up the trail behind the Suzaku warriors and their priestess rather swiftly.

Making sure she had a good hold on the 'oni' seishi, yet gentle enough that it would not cause him any needless pain, Chihiro rooted around in a pocket with her free hand, and finding what she sought, began weaseling the bracelet over her wrist. The transformation hid her appearance in the blink of an eye. "Maybe we should all move off the road," she suggested, being followed her animal friends just in time, it seemed.

"Get him!" A voice called out from among many other angry voices down the path. "He stole my medallion!"

"I _found_ it!" a younger, livelier voice answered in protest, coming closer. "It was lying on the ground, and it was shiny, and I decided I was going to keep it; that's when you told me it was yours. I don't _have_ to give it back!"

"That's what you said about my produce, too, ya young whipper-snapper!" A different person yelled, frustrated, as was the rest of the juvenile's pursuers. "Get _back_ here!"

"It's _your_ choice to keep following me, old man!" the remaining Byakko warrior pointed out. "Go away! Stop following me!" Rounding the bend, the tall youth skidded to a halt when his brilliantly colored eyes landed upon the small group off to the side of the road. He sighed. "Not you again…" That remark was, of course, was aimed more at Chihiro than the animals accompanying her. "Quite the zoo you've got there…" he added sarcastically. "But I think I saw the traveling circus back that way." Toroki thumbed over his shoulder. "Why don't you try signing up?"

"I wasn't looking forward to seeing you all too soon either," The miko narrowed her eyes at him distastefully, a wicked grin soon spreading across her lips. "Besides, shouldn't you be going now?" Making a gesture behind him, Toroki was soon reminded of the small mob bent on catching him.

He gulped, a lop-sided grin forming over his features and voice taking on a hopeful tone. "I…suppose I blew any chances of you hiding me, ne?"

Chihiro face-faulted. "Nan…!" She just didn't get this boy! First he insults her, and then asks for a favor? People inside the 'Universe of the Four Gods' were certainly a group of weirdoes, to say the least!

Lime-green eyes narrowed. "Oh, hide yourself!" she dismissed him with a wave of her hand, wanting nothing more to do with the thieving youth, or wanting to get caught up in his trouble. "I don't give favors to a pickpocket!"

Cinnamon bangs fell over the upper portion of the young man's face at her words, a mordant smile twitching the corners of his mouth before quickly bowling himself off the side of the path and into the bushes. It didn't take long for the group of about five or so merchants and farmers to come into view. Spotting Chihiro they halted, breathing heavily from their chase.

"You, boy! Er—you are a boy, aren't you?" a middle-aged fellow asked, being just a bit plump about the waist and had graying hair with a fine mustache. Instantaneously, he waved his hand. "Forget it; happen to see a kid rush by here? He was kinda tall, and has—"

"He stole my produce!" a gentleman near the back bellowed, more toned and with a darker complexion than the rest in the group. "The little punk…I'm gonna ring his scrawny neck when I get my hands on him…!"

The first man spoke up again. "Douzo. Just point us in the direction, if you did happen to see the scoundrel." By the fire of determination burning in their eyes, they would doggedly follow the last of Byakko's servants even if it half-killed them; they were that bent on dragging his butt back to their town and do who knows what do him.

Chihiro bit her lip. "A-ano…" Her conscience had a nasty way of surfacing in high-tension situations as these. Why did trouble always seem to follow her? And why did it this time have to be in the form of that boy!

Sure, he had saved her virginity—and most likely, her life too, but…that didn't mean she _owed him_-owed him, right? The guy was a complete stranger; she'd never seen him before in her life!

She sweat-dropped, leaving a mental note as a reminder to smack herself sometime later; of course she had never seen him before! She belonged in the real world, and had gotten sucked into a freaking book!

"Pretty-boy! Have you seen him, or not! Hurry up an' make up your mind!"

The miko-in-disguise jumped at the voice. "Er, um…" She knew it was wrong to lie, but it felt like she would be stabbing her one-time savior in the back if she chose to hand him over to his enemies. 'I hope Suzaku-seikun will understand this, and not fire me…' she thought, gulping. "I think it was that way…Yeah! He ran that way, I believe." She replied, jerking her thumb over her shoulder in a similar fashion she had observed her fellow male students at school do. The small group bought the act, quickly moving off.

"Phew…"

A dry chuckle, which also came to be annoying, reached her ears as Toroki tediously maneuvered his way out of the vegetation and onto the dirt path beside her. "What's this I thought I heard ya say, about not givin' favors to pickpockets…?"

"Oh, go away…" Chihiro grumbled. "I may have bought you some time, but that doesn't mean I gave you permission to join us."

"'Us?'" he asked incredulously, scanning the seven animals around them. "I didn't know this was a community trip, or hell, I might-a packed a lunch…"

Her anger that had slowly been building reached its limit. No longer being able to hold it inside, she lashed out at the unsuspecting seishi. "Look, just go away already! I lied for you, which I probably shouldn't have done! I probably should have told them where you were hiding and let them haul your ketsu out and have their justice!

"And rightfully so, for stealing! You have even tried to take this from me before," Chihiro jerked up her arm so that the smooth surface of her bracelet was visible, fist clenched. "If I allowed you to accompany us— me—whatever; you would probably just pilfer some, if not all our supplies, wouldn't you?"

Toroki stood rooted to the spot in utter silence, blinking multiply; at a loss of how to counter that long chain of words. Chihiro still had her heated gaze fixed on him, just daring him to try and justify himself. Oh, would she ever be ready to grill him out on what she thought of his standards of living.

A painful moan interrupted her lecture. The flicker of resentment in her almond-shaped eyes shifted to concern in a heartbeat, knowingly shifting her attention down to the 'oni' warrior in her arms. "Oh Tamahome…gomen nasai…" Where she stood, she knelt, touching a hand to the monkey's face and stopped, growing more worried at how warm he felt. "Oh no… He has a fever, worse than I thought..."

The gaunt youth watched her a moment, looking over the form in her arms with an interested, yet questioning gaze. "Your little friend hasn't been doin' too well recently, huh?"

"Mm-mm," she replied sadly with a shake of her head, anger towards him forgotten for the time being. The small monkey was breathing a little irregularly, and his priestess' concern only amplified as his temperature steadily worsened. Tamahomewasn't in good shape, even though Mitsukake had used some of his healing ki on the stab wounds from Suboshi's powerful talons. But the crow was low on energy from his own injury; it would still be awhile before he could exercise the full use of his Suzaku-blessed gifts.

The cinnamon-haired thief allowed a long pause to move in around them, watching as the dark-haired young man switched into a young woman with a mere slip of a bracelet, and tucked the item away in her pocket for safekeeping before devoting her attention to her wounded seishi. She carried him a few steps to where the chestnut stallion stood, calmly swishing his tail as she fiddled around with the small amount of supplies draped over the animal's back.

"Did ya try giving him some water? Maybe he's just dehydrated…" The Byakko warrior offered, tucking away his stolen items in a small sack—all except for a silver medallion—which he also carried over his shoulder. That he donned, grinning as the object winked at him with the help of the sun's rays. Glancing up at the sky just then, there hardly was any sun. It was going to rain soon…

Chihiro was fumbling with a canteen of water just as he spoke up. "S-sou desu, demo…" Having only one arm free, it would be a little tricky to undo the cap, while at the same time keeping hold of Tamahome, and she was afraid of moving him as it was. She had to fight to suppress a startled squeak that came from her as two calloused hands came around her own and the canteen she held.

"Let me," he offered, prying it from her grasp and loosening the lid and removing it as he handed it back to her. "Let him have a drink. Then let's find some place to roost for the night. It's gonna storm real bad here soon…" 'I can't believe I'm taking care of a monkey…'

Gently tilting the jug to her warrior's lips, Chihiro glanced back up at the heavens. The grayish-blue clouds were completely gone. The sky was clouded with darkness, and it wasn't even that late in the day. Lime-green eyes glittered worryingly, turning to face him. "You…know of anywhere nearby?"

"Iie." He answered softly, slinging his small knapsack over his shoulder and resting his free hand on his hip. "It's gonna suck, being caught in bad weather like this." His attention turned back towards the troop of animals, hearing the small white cat atop the stallion's back mewing softly, gaze fixed on the girl. Chihiro acknowledged the feline, turning her eyes back down as she lifted away the canteen.

"That should be enough for now, or at least until we find some place to hunker down before the storm." She announced, finding herself fumbling again to take the cap from Toroki before the tall youth took it and re-secured it on for her. "Arigatou…"

"Come on, let's get going. Maybe I can help."

xXxXx

Lightning cracked over their heads. A day that had begun as fairly pleasant weather had turned into an ugly gale. Toroki whooped loudly, all of them rushing inside what looked a worthy shelter of stone just as the droplets began pelting the ground so that dirt flew up. Everyone was wet, but not horribly soaked through. The youth removed his headband, giving his head a quick shake to rid the excess water from cinnamon-hued mane. "Man! Th'gods must be bitchin' a fit, if it's storming that hard!" As if to back up his statement, there came a flash, before thunder cracked loudly overhead. Everyone including himself jumped, and he laughed once more. "Man…sure would suck t'be outside right now."

Chihiro gave a brief nod to show her agreement with him, turning back to the suffering one in her arms, sitting down against the cave wall. 'The weather isn't helping you recover either,' she thought with a bit of pity. The miko removed the blanket she had managed to wrap around him just before the rain became too bad, but now it was almost soaked through and she had to get it off him, and with the most care as possible. "He doesn't look any better."

The Byakko seishi remembered about her sickly animal, running a hand through his wet bangs as he knelt down next to her. The miko shifted uneasily, he noticed with a small grin, but remained where she was in hopes that he might help her warrior. "Let me see underneath those bandages…"

She yielded tohim, and Toroki's hands went to work undoing the pinkish-stained gauze with immense concentration. Chihiro began to wonder just what he planned to do once he did see the wounds. He hissed through his teeth once the last of the bandages had been removed, bright green eyes locking on two identical puncture wounds, one in each shoulder. No doubt it both holes tunneled to the back, out through the shoulder blades; it was a miracle the monkey had not bled to death. But it made him question how long the little guy had gone on bearing this much pain. "They look good; still nasty an' deep, but the openings've pretty much clotted—seems like ya did a good job with him." A flicker of a smile came to her face at this compliment, but it soon faded. "You got any extra stuff in that pack of yours? Medicines, or…?"

She regretfully shook her head. "Iie, just bandages. I…did use some plants to help, though…the crow told me which one to use…" Her eyes flickered towards the black-feathered creature she spoke of. The thief gave a curious glance to the bird was well, then remembered this girl's strange abilities and left it go at that.

"Right…" A brief glance outside. "It's raining too hard now to bother looking for the right kinds. And I don't think your bird friend would wanna to go back out into that either—now would be a good time to refill your canteens; rainwater's the best." He interjected, getting off the subject. "For now though, I'll just help ya clean the areas and re-bandage him. Sound good?"

A grateful nod. "Mm. Arigatou."

Near the back of the cave, Tasuki the dog took a moment to shake off, the other animals squawking/hissing/stomping their disapproval. Amber eyes glimmered with a sort of smug look to them as he slid down onto his stomach. "I agree with 'Roki; I'm so frickin' wet it ain' even funny!" he panted. "But I never had this much fun last time, after roundin' up all th'seishi!" There was heavy sarcasm dripping from that last statement like the rain's most recent tears dully thudding on the hard cavern floor beneath him.

"Oh, me_ either_, Tasu-chan!" Nuriko joined in, giving an agitated flutter of his wings. "I'm completely drenched!" he whined. The small barred cage had not managed to shield him even a little from the elements. Mitsukake gave his good wing a flap, water droplets splaying everywhere. Hotohori snorted, having just settled himself down close by gave a quick shake of his head and a small shudder at the unexpected frigid spray. Chichiri shook all four of his paws delicately, the clear detest of the current weather outside written all over his cream-colored face. The butterfly watched a moment before his glossy black antennae twitched in the 'wing' seishi's general direction. "We would have made it here sooner, if you didn't argue with Chichiri about how to get here!"

"Hey! Don' pin th'blame on me!" he growled, letting his head fall overtop his crisscrossed front paws. "Those stupid venders held us up, too!"

A calm meow cut into the impending argument. "Settle down, both of you, no da." The cat licked one of his front paws, raising it to the side of his face in the act of grooming. "I don't think any of the rest of us are up to debating over something so unimportant at the moment, no da." Chichiri soundlessly set down his paw; quivering a bit as his fur was still quite wet. "And Tamahome's still not back on his feet, after that mess with Suboshi."

"Once my powers have replenished enough to heal him," A gentle monotone broke in, "I will."

Hotohori nodded. "Speaking of which, how are your injuries fairing, Chichiri?" the former emperor asked inquiringly. The feline had also had a brush with the Seiryuu falcon, but had gotten off easy in comparison to his brother's wounds.

"Not bad na no da," he answered off-handedly, glancing down at the white gauze that contrasted against the crème-colored fur. "It doesn't bother me at…" Two brown-tipped ears twitched as he hopped down from his spot atop a small bolder, stealthily slinking over towards the wall. The other animals glanced at one another and back at their oldest member in confusion.

"Ano…Chichiri-san?" Chiriko intoned questioningly in his sweet little voice. The silver-wing-tipped owl turned his round aqua-green eyes towards the canine member for an answer but the ex-bandit had none to offer, being just as puzzled as he was.

"Eh…'Chiri?" At his voice, the 'well' seishi gave a small jump and turned back to the group looking a bit flustered. "What's goin' on?"

"Gomen ne," he murmured, crouching before springing back to his previous resting place. "I guess my animal instincts caught the better of me in that moment." A light flush surfaced through the soft fur. "I thought I heard a mouse, no da." Off to his left, he could hear Tasuki snickering about it and tried to resist the urge to claw him again. At least the others had enough manners to simply smile and lay the matter to rest.

"Well…" Nuriko stretched, yawning within his cage. "I think I'm going to turn in. We have a long way to go tomorrow, if it ever stops raining…" Thunder rumbled in the distance at that part of his sentence. "And I'm soooo tired…" Sounds of agreement came from everyone at that, and began taking up on the butterfly's suggestion.

Chihiro laid out a spare blanket for Toroki to use; it was the least she could do to repay him for the kindness he was doing for her warrior. She watched him finishing up with his task for a moment, and couldn't help but wonder how he knew those things. Surely the youth was not any older than she…right? Toroki didn't act older than a sixth grader in her mind, for the most part. He sure was tall, though. 'We'll see, later.' She told herself. And she discovered that in those few moments, her dislike and mistrust of him had decreased a little; maybe he was not truly as annoying as she thought him to be. "Toroki…san?" Dark green eyes lifted, giving her an odd look at the use of the suffix. "I…you better get some sleep now. Thank you for what you've done…"

He nodded, getting up and moving over carefully with the 'oni' warrior cradled with one arm against him. "Don't mention it. Here…" They traded off between them. He turned to sit against the wall, but spotted the blanket rolled out a modest distance away from her bedding and wordlessly flopped down on it, folding his hands behind his head.

The miko smiled at that, also settling down; turning over onto her side so her back faced him. "Tamahome?" Her voice was lowered, not wanting to call attention to herself, or divert Toroki from getting any sleep. "How do you feel, a little better?"

"A little…" came the quiet reply. "And grateful Taiitsukun didn't give you any alcohol for the trip." The mere thought of that stuff being poured over the raw flesh on his back and shoulders made him cringe—sort of.

She smiled, unknowingly stroking one of the black arms in a sort of comforting way, as if he were a plain, dumb animal. "Soon Mitsukake will fix you," Chihiro couldn't help but giggle softly, as she realized she must have sounded like one of the Nyan-nyans for a moment. "Just get some sleep." Her seishi obeyed rather quickly, closing his violet eyes and listening to the rain falling outside. The miko did the same, the continuous soft pitter-pattering tugging heavily at her eyelids. So much, that she almost didn't hear the scratching sound of nails crossing over the stone floor, a weight dropping down near her legs just on the edge of her blanket. "Night, Tasu-chan." A dry mutter was her answer, and that was all she knew before blessed sleep embraced her senses. No doubt she would be stiff in the morning.

xXxXx

**_A/N:_** YAY! Another chapter has come out to you, those of you peoples, who are still reading, that is, eheh…. Yeah. Sorry for the delay. Summer vacations and all that jazz… Don't worry; I won't break into song on you. Next chapter will come out much sooner, I promise. And thanks so much to my friend Charlie, (penname: Chiharu Kamoshiro), wife of Nuriko, for beta-ing my stuff and making it better for you to read! Arigatou! Well, until next time!

Translations: 

1) otouto- a term for a younger brother

2) Iie- no

3) "Nan…!" Chihiro was about to say "nani" meaning "what?"

4) Douzo- please

5) Ano- uh or um

6) Gomen nasai- I'm sorry

7) Sou desu- Yes

8) Demo- but

9) Arigatou- thank you

10) Ano- Uh or um


	18. A Dismal Reunion, Dreadful Encounters

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yûgi, or plan to make a profit of that splendid anime what-so-ever. They all belong to the wonderful Yû Watase-sama—except for Chihiro, Ren, and Shuro, and Toroki's character! Hands off the OCs and such, or I'll get mad! I'm not a nice person when I'm mad. (And just between us, I'm sick of writing nearly the exact same thing over and over.)

Note: Oh, and just one more thing before we start! I've gotten a few reviewers telling me that it's been really long since this fic was last updated—which is very true, I'm ashamed to say—and that a list of the animals as far as concerning whom is who would be helpful. And I want y'all to enjoy my fanfic to the highest capacity possible, so here it is in the order they were found by my OC, Chihiro!

Tasuki-dog

Tamahome-monkey

Hotohori-stallion

Chichiri-cat

Nuriko-butterfly

Mitsukake-crow

Chiriko-owl

And we can't forget the Seiryuu persons, even if most of them suck (no offense to you Seiryuu fans out there!) So here they are too…those that have made an appearance, thus far, anyway.

Ashitare-wolf

Suboshi-hawk

And now…on with the tale, not tail.

xXxXx

Today, she would return to her home.

Now, with the assurance that her beloved cousin was not going to die, there was no option left for Ren except to return home.

That morning she had risen and prepared herself for the road ahead. It would only take her a day to reach her home village, back with her mother and father at the inn. Shuro would escort her on the way back.

'The time when we came, Hiro was the one who…'

No! Just stop it! "Hiro" was someone whom she had come to view as a myth, someone that no longer existed. The Suzaku no miko, this Chihiro, had deceived her from the get-go, lying about her appearance… Heck, she had lied to her about everything! And what's worse, that other girl had not even looked sorry for what she had done! Sure, Chihiro had begged and pleaded for her to listen, but that was something Ren refused to do. Just so that miko could tell more stories, play with her mind some more? No. Absolutely not. Ren would not allow herself to be fooled again. Ever.

She didn't care if she never saw that girl again.

Shuro followed quietly behind her, studying his younger relative's unusual behavior; shoulders tensing and untensing intermittently every once in awhile, the sullen look on her face seeming to match the morose way Ren placed one sandaled foot in front of the other. It worried him a bit, that she was still taking Hiroshi's departure so hard. He couldn't have imagined how close the two had become, and Ren seemed completely unwilling to talk about it. Shuro decided not to push the details out of her, but he couldn't help but worry about his young cousin's sudden, dark mood.

Coming down the road from the opposite direction was another man, far older than the cousins judging by the splotches of gray streaking through his lightly hued hair. Shuro's dark eyes locked onto him. It looked as if he traveled a lot, and it made him wonder. Perhaps this man knew some better routes in these winding forest paths?

The road in which the man had traveled materialized in Shuro's mind, and it was almost as if he himself were moving along the winding path. Shuro saw himself and his younger cousin through the other man's eyes as he passed them on the gently sloping hill. But the man had not always walked this path: he had come out of the woods a short ways ahead of them and stepped onto the original road from there. This man knew a short cut, and that was they way they were going to go.

Stepping forward, he gently caught his cousin by the arm to slow her down. "I know a short cut we can take," he announced, glancing about the thick veil of vegetation to their right before he found the place he had visualized in his mind. "Come on, this way." They both crossed off the path and entered the pleasant shade of the trees.

Ren's steps along the grassy, wooded path came to an abrupt halt as an enormous spider crept out from beneath a bush right where her sandaled feet were about to tread. Well, it might have been a bit of an exaggeration calling it enormous and making it sound as tall as the trees around her and her traveling companion, but it was still almost as large as her hand. Maybe a little bigger, even.

But Ren had decided long ago that she hated spiders, _especially _the big ones, and her entire body froze as its slender, spiny legs inched towards her. The nasty little creature slowly put its legs down one in front of the other, taking its jolly old time as if it knew how much of a spasm it was causing her. It was mostly black, with designs of white, blue, and a distinctive red dot on its abdomen. All dozen of its eyes seemed to stare up at her mockingly, as she stood rooted to the spot.

"Sh…Shuro?"

Just a few steps ahead, her darker-haired cousin turned in mid stride to look back over his shoulder. He right away noticed her uneasy countenance, turned to face her in full and took a step towards her. "Something wrong?"

"W-well…there's this really big spider…"

His dark eyes curled upwards as his mouth tried to keep from grinning. "Step over it, then."

Ren looked up at her elder relative as if he were mad. She couldn't step over this spider – it was huge! What if it jumped on her? What if it had a stinger? What if it was highly venomous and bit her? What if…?

She glanced back down at the path and discovered that the spider had disappeared. Well, it had disappeared from its previous spot, at least. _Now_ it was only an inch from her unprotected foot. With a disgusted scream, she stepped to the left and kicked the thing as hard as she could, sending it flying back into the bushes. Once its unsightly presence had vanished from her sight, Ren hurried to catch up with Shuro, latching onto his arm and trembling. After she had calmed down enough, they continued on their way, and at a quicker pace, just in case that spider was a fast-crawling one.

xXxXx

"Mm…?" Chihiro was not sure of the sound that had awoken her, but even after the young woman became aware of her surroundings the deep peace that had been with her all night still lingered. Even the soft pattering of the drizzling rain outside was soothing.

Judging from the lack of light, it was probably still early morning, which would explain why the only other sound in the cave was the faint breathing of her many companions.

Still nestled in her arms, Tamahome had managed to remain in a deep slumber, not even stirring at her slight movements. Near her feet, Chihiro felt her dog stretch in his slumber, but he too remained asleep.

She smiled gently, closing her eyes again so she could try to catch a few more winks before they had to leave. She almost didn't want to leave at all. Though caves were normally considered cold and clammy, the miko felt snug and secure in her small shelter. She had nothing to cover with during the night, but a strange sense of warmth seemed to lay over her like a real comforter, pulling her once again towards the realms of dreams.

Something touched lightly her cheek, but it didn't frighten her. Chihiro had barely noticed its presence at all until a voice whispered softly in her ear: "Rise and shine, Miko-chan…" The ebony-haired girl recognized Nuriko's vibrant voice. "Come on! We need to get back to Taiitsukun's place so we can complete the mission!"

So much for getting a few more winks, Chihiro thought with a sigh. Not that she minded all that much, since it was such a gentle waking. As she sat up and stretched her arms over her head, all her seishi companions stirred at once as if by awoken by an unspoken command. Tasuki proved a bit harder to wake up than the rest, but after a few nudges with her knees and a few tugs on his ears, followed by a cheerful, "Wakie-wakie, Gen-chaaaan!" in his ear, the 'wing' seishi was up in a heartbeat, though he looked anything but thrilled. Tiny growls erupted from his throat; they probably translated to something profane. Chihiro paid him no mind, as did his fellow warriors. Luckily for her, Toroki was a light sleeper; otherwise it might have expelled more of energy – and plenty more curses – to get him up as well.

"We're leavin'?" he asked.

"Yep!" The priestess down at Toroki's half-asleep form. "Help me back everything up, please?"

Soon they were on the road again, with all of their supplies – as well as Tamahome, Chichiri, and Mitsukake, who were still recovering from their injuries – loaded on the back of Hotohori. The stallion didn't seem to mind the extra weight as much as he had at the beginning of their journey, and trotted along effortlessly beside the two people and gang of animals. The dirt roads were a little muddy from the rain, and puddles popped up here and there as they went along, but it wasn't too bad. It seemed that nothing could spoil their good moods. Chihiro almost felt like skipping, but knew that with her disguise activated, it would have looked really... odd. Still, that didn't stop her from humming quietly to herself.

Chiriko noted everyone's cheery moods that morning, and couldn't help but smile as he scanned the skies from above their little caravan. It was all downhill from here, or so the saying went. Actually the direction they were going was flat for the most part, with just a few winds and curves every now and then, but nothing in the way of actual hills.

Toroki walked along with a strange sort of anticipation in his green eyes. Never mind that he had no clue where they were headed. The strange girl who liked cross dressing would probably tell him sooner or later, since she obviously wanted him to come along. Still, it would be nice if she told him the story now. At least that would help qualm some of his boredom as they walked. "Your monkey friend sure looks better than he did last night," the Byakko warrior commented, reaching around in his knapsack for a fresh pear that he had stolen the day before.

Just as he extracted the item he sought, Toroki glanced forward and jerked to an abrupt stop, nearly running smack into Chihiro. The girl was facing him, with one hand holding out a loaf of bread like an offering.

"Yes…I'm really, really grateful for your help with him the other day… Hungry?"

He paused, eyeing Chihiro curiously. Her undisguised face flashed him a polite smile, shy though it was. After a moment of hesitation, he took the bread. Still watching her suspiciously, the Byakko seishi took a bite. Clenching the fluffy bun between his teeth for a moment, he alternated the pear from his right to his left hand. He flicked the wrist of his free arm, and out popped a small knife from the cuff of his sleeve. He held the tiny blade expertly between his fingers and used it carve the juicy fruit into two (almost equal) halves. Tucking the small carving knife away for safekeeping, the cinnamon-haired youth nudged Chihiro's shoulder with his elbow and extended the mouth-watering fruit to her. The miko smiled brightly in thanks and wasted no time in chomping down on the juicy little morsel.

"Wow! This is really yummy!" she cried happily, taking another quick bite and giggling as the juice dripped down her chin. The girl from another world adored pears…she loved all fruit actually, aside from grapefruit. That was one gene she did not inherit from either of her parents. Just thinking about the aftertaste of those yellow-orange balls disgusted her. But aside from that, fruit was her favorite things to eat. She briefly wondered why Toroki had decided to share with her, and why her canine companion kept glaring up at the young man as he walked on the other side of her. "Thank you so much!"

"Meh…" Toroki shrugged and took another bite of the bread, eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Ne, Tasu-chan? Worried about a little competition?" Though it was hard to see from inside his cage, by his voice the 'willow' was grinning from ear to ear. The dog's head snapped back toward them.

"What th' hell's that supposed t'mean!"

"Oh, nothing…" Pleased by the outburst, Nuriko's antennae twitched mischievously. "But, if it wasn't for us being animals…I'd say you were blushing right about now!" he giggled.

"A-ahou! How would you know?"

"That little stutter kinda gave it away, Tasu-chan." Nuriko snickered as the dog's ears flattened to his head. Tasuki turned forward again and growled a string of curses under his breath. Chichiri shook his head from where he was riding, and even Tamahome managed the faintest of smiles.

Chiriko giggled quietly overhead, but before he had a chance to call down towards his fellow seishi his aquamarine eyes caught sight of something in the nearby trees. He blinked in surprise and opened his beak to warn his miko – she was not watching the road at all, but instead trying to strike up a conversation with Toroki. The boy had just been about to say something as well, but never got the chance. Chihiro turned the path and walked right into someone coming onto the trail from the woods.

"Oh! Sumimase…" The word died on her lips as lime-green eyes locked onto soft blue ones. Chihiro knew those eyes. They were the brightest ones she'd ever seen, like the color of the sky that morning after the thunderstorm the night before. Both women stared unblinkingly at each other, afraid to move.

The animals behind her froze, recognizing the new arrival immediately. Tasuki glanced to the miko at his side, watching her gaping expression with open worry in his sharp eyes.

"R…Ren?"

xXxXx

Unbeknownst to the creator of the heavens, several of her servants, turquoise-haired imps also known as "Nyan-nyan"s, floated before one of the gigantic mirrors with which Taiitsukun viewed the goings on in the mortal world below.

The little girls whimpered in unison; some had their brows knotted in concern while others clenched their small hands together, but all shared the same thought. "Poor Chihiro-san…"

xXxXx

"Hiro-sa…" Ren hastily corrected herself. "Chihiro-sama." She saw her cousin at her side give a confused look, shifting his brown eyes back to the young girl before them, whose face darkened at the stiff formalities. "What are you doing here?" she asked coldly. "I thought you left."

All the pain she had bound up inside of her over a few nights past broke open, and Chihiro felt moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes. The shimmering layer of tears clouded her vision, so she felt like she was looking at the girl through a layer of warped glass.

"I did leave…" She stole a glance at Shuro, wondering if he knew about her secret. About how she had deceived the only person she had ever called "friend." But that was over and done with now. After her all her lies, Chihiro knew she deserved whatever came to her. But the young man just stared at her blankly. If he knew about her betrayal, he certainly didn't show it. "I didn't expect to see you again, though…" Chihiro murmured to Ren. There was no hint of hatred in her voice as she spoke, just a deep sadness.

Shuro rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit perturbed as he scrutinized his cousin and the young… girl before them. His brown eyes traveled to the tall young man behind her, who looked bored out of his mind, and the gaggle of animals that fidgeted, making small sounds of anxiety the longer they stood there. This was certainly anything but comfortable, and the silence that followed was almost maddening to the thoroughly confused young man.

"I was taking Ren-chan back home to her parents, and we decided to take a shortcut." Shuro explained, glancing down the road ahead. "It looks like we'll be traveling together for a while, towards Mount Taikyoku I think." Through the corner of his eye he was distinctly aware of his cousin glaring at him with an incredulous look of disbelief, bordering rage. "Lovely place," he added at bit more to himself than the others around him. Tasuki's ears perked, catching the phrase and aroused his suspicion, as well as the other seishi whom were close enough to hear.

Chihiro could not bring herself to look into the other girl's eyes. "Oh…are you?" She hadn't quite heard his last statement about the sacred mountain just yet. "Well, um…yeah, we're going to…"

Ah, now she caught on. 'Wait…. How could Shuro-san know what it looks like if…?' she thought. Behind her, the group of animals shifted, glancing at one another nervously.

Toroki hopped from foot to foot impatiently. 'Oh, so that's where she's goin'…' Turning his eyes down the road towards their far off destination, he wondered why he had agreed to come along with this strange girl in the first place. It took him a moment to remember that she hadn't asked him to accompany her at all, and that he had just followed a quiet invitation. He inwardly kicked himself for his own stupid assumption. 'Last time I listen t'you again, brain,' he growled mutinously.

Still, if they were on a journey, why the hell were they all just standing in the middle of the path poking their fingers together? The Byakko seishi did not care about _why_ they had to go to Mount Taikyoku – that's where they were headed, and he was content to leave it at that. Besides, something told the thief that if they stuck around for a bit longer, he was going to be in for an earful of information that he had absolutely no interest in hearing.

Across from Toroki, Ren was almost livid with anger. She couldn't believe her ears! Shuro wasn't suggesting they all travel _together_, was he? Had he lost his mind? "Shuro-chan, I don't think…" But he silenced her with an enigmatic stare, and a simple smile that drove her into a state of total confusion. Then, realizing that her opinion was going to be ignored, that they were going to be traveling with this…this _liar_ and her stupid pets... the thought made her shoulders stiffen and her hands clench tightly at her sides. Not looking at anyone, Ren marched ahead, unwilling to speak to either her impossible cousin or her former friend.

Shuro heaved another sigh as he watched her stomp on before them. He turned to the miko with a small smile and took a step forward as a signal for her to do the same. "We'll be traveling together for a bit, right? So why not make the best of it?"

Toroki fell into step behind the two, eyeing Shuro curiously. The animals came after, all their gazes fixed on Ren's older cousin.

Chichiri's brow wrinkled just a little. "How…could he know what Mount Taikyoku really looks like no da?"

xXxXx

"How indeed," a voice purred in the darkness, as if she were having a conversation with the feline seishi. "I do wonder how that boy knew myself."

All was black. Nothing seemed to leave an impression except for a set of luminescent eyes. Red like ginger and lined with violet, they seemed to darken now as they focused on the troop moving through the woods, both human and animal, hovering within a small viewing pool of wavy air. It seemed an unusual procession, but all the same she could not keep a white smile from emerging.

Her dark orbs turned at the sound of footsteps. A figure, surrounded by an aura of mist which seemed to keep the suffocating gloom at bay mere inches from his body, approached the image and the other set of eyes beholding it. He bowed, bending his knee and bringing an arm to his chest in a sign of respect. Jet-black bangs with tints of at purple hung in his face, and a long, wavy tail of hair trailed down his back to hover above the floor. He did not look up nor open his eyes while addressing the being whose form was devoured by darkness.

An unseen gesture bade him to speak. "It is time, Mistress…" His voice was smooth as silk, yet underlying that was a poison that could not be missed. Any lesser creature might have shuddered to hear that sound seep through the darkness. "Shall we show them the extent of your growing powers?"

"Later, later…I'm enjoying myself for the moment." The first voice came again, focusing back on the viewing pool as the image changed. "That little miko is having quite the adventure thus far…I would hate to overlook anything that might assist me in the future."

The man bowed his head lower. "You know what is best, Mistress."

A porcelain hand as cold as ice extended from the shadowy veil, tipping his chin up look at her from where he knelt. "I will let our enemies have a taste of my power, my star. Have patience. I will, very, very soon."

xXxXx

It made her blood boil that Shuro was actually making her walk with them! It was just so unbelievable…her cousin had completely ignored her wishes, and treated her like a little kid! Now he was talking with that pretender, with that _liar_ and her party of what she probably considered "friends." The only reason Hiro…

She was still calling her that! Ren growled in frustration, picking up her pace and marching ahead, arms folded tightly across her chest. The only reason _Chihiro_ clung to those beasts was because she could get away with lying around them; they would never be hurt by Chihiro's disgusting charade. They were in a lie together, after all, if they were her seishi as Hiro - No, _Chihiro _claimed.

Behind her, she could hear Shuro chatting away with the priestess. Her feeling of betrayal was beginning to resurface. Why was he speaking with her? Didn't he realize that it hurt her to walk around with someone who had lied to her face, played her for a dense fool, and then broken her heart? Didn't he care about that at all?

The brunette suddenly felt like she was being strangled; she needed air. Just walking a few feet ahead of them was not enough, not when she knew that that…_imposter_ was staring at her back. Ren darted forward, trying to put more distance between them.

xXxXx

Back with her animals, Chihiro tried her best not to be rude and to have a normal conversation with Shuro, but her lime green eyes kept tugging her thoughts and gaze ahead towards Ren.

Even after apologizing, the other girl was still mad at her. Ren hadn't ever given Chihiro a chance to explain why she had done what she had done either. And the wound was still fresh, for both of them. 'I didn't mean for her to like me that way…' Chihiro swallowed, trying to keep her features steady despite the circumstances. 'I _really_ didn't mean to…'

Shuro frowned at Chihiro for a moment, then decided to leave her alone for the moment and glanced back over his shoulder at Toroki. "You weren't with Chihiro-san the last time she stayed with us…"

"Nah…I usually don't like t'go with large parties…" the Byakko seishi answered flatly. If this weird guy was looking for an introduction, that little bit was _all_ he was getting out of him. Toroki's suspicion was on full-scale alert. This guy… Something was different with him.

Chihiro had told Toroki a little about what had happened between her and that girl up ahead, but it had been kind of vague, and certainly nothing for him to draw a large conclusion on. But he knew that the name 'Hiroshi' had stuck since this Shuro guy kept pausing before calling her by her proper name. Toroki was picking up the same sort of vibes Chihiro was absorbing from Shuro. What was with this guy?

"Oh…I see…" Shuro muttered, glancing down at the ground and letting the conversation drop again.

The Suzaku no miko looked up ahead once more, only to find no trace of Ren's figure. Confused, as well as a bit worried, she scanned both sides of the path quickly, yet found nothing. A feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that something was wrong; tension built in her chest, just as it had that time before her encounter with the hawk Suboshi, or with that wolf when it had pursued her through the forest.

A familiar scream reached her ears and her inner distractions vanished from her mind as she immediately recognized the voice. Her fears were confirmed.

"Ren! What's happened?" Shuro dashed forward toward the voice, Chihiro and Toroki hot on his heels with the seven animals following close behind.

"Help!" Chihiro heard the cry, but couldn't see past the untamed vegetation to get any visuals.

"Through there!" Looking up at the sky, she saw Chiriko nod his head towards a spot in the foliage.

"Shuro-san! This way!" Chihiro pointed off the path, and the young man immediately backtracked, making his way toward her. Taking a breath, she plunged through the barrier of thick trees and vines, arms held up in front of her face. When she finally stumbled out into a clearing, she stopped dead. Behind her, Toroki and Shuro had to think fast before they bowled into her. But even Toroki gave pause when he saw what they were facing.

What stood, woven amongst a few trees and secured by numerous threads to various branches and the knurled trunks of trees, was a larger-than-life spider's web. And squirming frantically in the middle was…

"Ren!" Chihiro watched in horror as the sticky silks magically wove themselves over her former friend's body, pinning her arms at her sides and wrapping around her knees. The girl struggled, pleading to the others for help, trying to get her breath, but the more she inhaled the more unyielding the threads became.

"Ren, be still! Otherwise, you'll…" Panic welled up in Shuro's eyes, though he strove to remain strong. "Don't worry, we'll get you loose. Somehow." Her dark-haired cousin looked around for something to use to cut her down, but found only tree branches and small rocks scattered throughout the blades of semi-dead grass. Chihiro also began to search the scenery, finding nothing that could—wait!

"Toroki-san!"

The youth jumped slightly, then cocked an eyebrow at the suffix. "Why do you keep saying 'san'? I'm not any older 'en you are…"

He wasn't? The thought seemed impossible considering his height, but the miko didn't question him; right now was not the time for questions, anyway. They had to act quickly. "Gomen ne…but do you think you could cut her down?" she asked, determination glittering in her eyes.

The thief paused a moment, folding his arms thoughtfully as he took a few steps forward to the gigantic web. The fact that a young girl was currently hyperventilating at its center and thrashing about to free herself didn't seem to faze him. "Eh…it shouldn't be too hard. Here." Without warning he tossed his pack to Shuro, giving the other young man no choice but to catch it. "Hold that a sec." Again, he left the other boy no chance to comply, and immediately began to root around inside the bag. A small grin crossed Toroki's face as he drew out a long knife, probably as long as Chihiro's forearm.

"Thanks, pal," he added, patting Shuro's shoulder with a few strong smacks before turning back to the web, drawing closer as he considered where to cut first.

A wad of webbing suddenly expanded, jutting out to ensnare him as well. In the short moment it took for Chihiro to scream, the fiber shot through the Byakko seishi and snatched instead another victim. The young owl perched on a nearby tree branch never expected such a move and was helplessly pulled back through Toroki's body and towards the sticky death trap.

The girl from another world gasped, both at Chiriko's capture and her newest ally's strange ability. She had seen it done before, that time he rescued her from those men, but the girl from another world was still shaken by it.

'How…does he do that!' It was almost as if he were a ghost…yet she had touched him before, that one time she had tackled him to get her bracelet back. His body had been as solid as her's or anyone else's. Then, why? How could he do that?

A memory came of Suzaku's voice whispering in her ear, telling her of Tasuki's speed; it was his 'seishi ability,' he had said. His power…

Was this, then, Toroki's power? That he could effortlessly allow objects to pass through his body? But how? All of her warriors were found…. Taiitsukun said nothing about a 'Toroki' in the Suzaku stars.

"Chiriko!" Tasuki bolted forward, but his miko grasped his collar to keep him from danger.

"Tasuki, no! You'll get caught too!" Her grip tightened. "Please! I don't want you hurt!"

The dog seishi protested, amber eyes locked on their youngest member as his silver-tipped wings thrashed about, entwined in the gauzy threads as they wound tighter and tighter around their newest catch, making movement nearly impossible.

"Get back! All of you get back!" Toroki shouted over his shoulder, thrusting his free hand back in a waving motion. "This isn't an ordinary web…and the big-hulking spider that spun it is probably nearby." On that note, the cinnamon-haired seishi cast a glance this way and that with his cat-like green eyes, seeking out any type of movement in the woods around them. His efforts proved fruitless: the forest encircled them on all sides, hiding their enemy effectively in the surrounding leaves. Still, the thick foliage didn't stop the unseen spider's high-pitched, cackling laughter from reaching their frightened ears.

"Heheheheh…at last I have one of the Suzaku sparrows in my grasp."

Tamahome shuddered involuntarily, able to guess their opponent's identity. The monkey lifted himself from his seat atop Hotohori and gripped Chihiro's shoulder between his tense fingers a tiny glare forming over his face as his violet eyes darted towards the treetops. "Why don't you come out where we can see you, Tomo!"

Chihiro blinked at that. "'Tomo'?"

Another low cackle answered her question, as the air near one of the top corners of the web wavered, and in its place sat a huge, slender-legged spider, probably as big as her hand. It was entirely black, with a glossy abdomen and touches of blue and white decorating its back. Several golden eyes peered down at them as the arachnid adjusted its fangs, sticky with venom. There was a distinctive red spot on its back.

It took a few crawling steps forward on its horrible eight legs. The miko shuddered. She heard Ren give a startled gasp, almost a squeak. "I…y-you're…you were the one I…"

"Sou…" Tomo's voice purred almost directly in her ear, though Ren didn't understand a word of it. The indescribable sound only made the hairs on her skin prickle. "It wasn't very kind of you, to do what you did this morning… In fact, why don't I teach you better?"

Ren shuddered, frightened that it might draw closer, and thrashed her bound body once more in an attempt to break free. The sticky threads held firm.

A dozen golden eyes swiveled towards the ensnared little owl, whose aqua green gaze widened in fright at his next words. "And, why don't I demonstrate through one of those I detest? A little sparrow of Suzaku…"

"You wouldn't dare!" Nuriko's wings flapped heatedly, threatening the spider. "Release those two, now!"

"Or you'll do what?" shrieked a familiar, enraged voice. The butterfly whirled at the sound, only to be sent sprawling backward with a surprised squeak into the gauzy web by a darkly plumaged wing.

"Nuriko! Oh no…!" Chihiro's heart raced all the more.

Chichiri's focus lifted from the spider to their new enemy. The stab wound on his shoulder throbbed dully at the sight of him.

Suboshi smirked, surveying Nuriko's impressive attempts to break free. The whole web rocked violently from his effort. With his strength, it should not have been too much trouble, but each time Nuriko tore at the threads they simply re-laced themselves and cocooned around his wings and body even tighter. Suboshi turned his vicious gaze from the butterfly towards the monkey on Chihiro's shoulder, and his grin grew even wider. "I remember your whining voice like it was yesterday, just after I finished with those children and that old man back in that village."

Tamahome clenched his fist weakly, still unable to move much from the stab wounds. Chihiro held him close with her one arm as she restrained Tasuki by his collar with the other. Worry coursed through her; now two of her dear seishi had been caught by this new foe. And Ren, too. What if they all were captured? How would they ever get free; how would they just get those _three_ free? And now that Suboshi had shown up, she sensed that things would only get worse.

Suboshi's sapphire eyes shifted to his long-time rival, who was currently in Chihiro's care. "Good to see you're still alive, Tamahome," he sneered. "Maybe we can go flying again sometime soon."

The Suzaku no miko prayed the orange dog at her side would heed her earlier command and stay put as she withdrew her hand from him and placed it around the 'oni' warrior protectively. She knew her seishi couldn't take another hit like before and live through it. The fact that he was still alive after his tangle with the Seiryuu hawk was a miracle in itself!

Cautiously, she backed up towards Hotohori where the stallion stood pawing the ground uneasily. His golden eyes met her lime-green ones for a moment, deliberating how they would free their companions. Tasuki backed up with his miko, intent on defending her. But as long as they were far enough from the web, and kept an eye on the hawk, everything would be all right.

…Right?

Toroki stood poised, smirking again as he saw the silken white threads shoot towards him. He heaved a tired sigh as the materials zipped through his chest, expanded, then retracted back to the rest of the web. When would this stupid spider figure out that he was impossible to catch?

And what was the big deal with all these animals attacking each other? There was something very weird about this girl Chihiro. Something he couldn't quite place, but the way she seemed to care for all seven of her animals briefly reminded him of the way Suzuno would fuss over her warriors if the slightest thing happened to them. Byakko's remaining servant shook his head to rid himself of that thought. All of them were dead, with the exception of Tokaki and Subaru…and, of course, himself. There was no need to dwell on the past. Not this aspect of it, anyway. And certainly not right now.

And why was he suddenly stuck in the midst of all these weird situations?

Tomo cackled lightly, rubbing two of his spiny legs together. "Splendid. Now I have a pair of the little sparrows to amuse myself with. This will be quite pleasurable, indeed."

"You'll be in for a world of hurt if you try coming closer!" Nuriko threatened, ripping through the hair-thin cords again only to have them rethread and tighten around him once more. The butterfly seishi growled in frustration. Each time the threads came together it made it harder and harder for him to move. Nearby, Chiriko had given up struggling. It looked as if his young mind were racing, trying to figure out another way to escape. But no answers seemed to be coming to the little owl, and that prospect made the Nuriko struggle even harder. "Let us go!"

Ren wriggled her bound shoulders and hands, tears of frustration welling up at the corners of her eyes. The fear pounding in her heart only increased her fervor to try again. But with each letdown, more and more panic and alarm seized hold of her. Her blue eyes fell on her cousin, pleading with him to help her. But Toroki kept urging them back to keep the enemy from attacking them, too. The girl's only true protector was being pushed further and further away.

Subsohi narrowed his eyes and swooped down at the cream-colored feline on Hotohori's back. Chichiri leapt down just in time and the expecting talons missed him by a hair's breadth. The cat seishi winced as he landed hard on his paws; in his rush to escape, he'd forgotten all about his injured shoulder. Chichiri tucked his wounded leg under his body and glanced upwards, yelping in alarm as Suboshi tried to dive _under_ Hotohori to get at the injured animal.

Tasuki's pointed ears twitched. He whirled around just in time to see Chichiri scurry under the stallion for protection. Anger ignited the 'wing' symbol on his front right leg as he jumped forward to help his brother warrior. "Get lost, y'bastard!" The dog snapped at the air, startling the bird of prey, and tried to chase him off. Suboshi quickly began his ascent, but not before getting one good whap at Mitsukake. The former healer tumbled down from Hotohori's back and hopped over towards the wounded feline.

Tasuki stood over the former monk. "You all right?"

Chichiri was still breathless from the attacks, but managed a nod to both Tasuki and the approaching crow.

Shuro's eyes darted around the forest scene; so many things were happening all at once! Why were these animals attacking them? They obviously weren't normal animals…or maybe he was just hallucinating all of this. Maybe he wasn't really cured from his illness at all, and this was just another one of those bizarre dreams he had been having. Like that one he had the first night the fever appeared, about a girl with flowing ebony hair arriving at his bedside, her body emitting a pale red, almost pink light and stripping the ailment from his system for good. It had been so vivid, so real that he had woken up confused, wondering why he was still feverish and slowly dying.

"Move back!" Toroki's voice snapped Shuro out of his reverie. "Don't just stand there, we don't know how far that shit can stretch!" The thief wasn't very sure if he would be able to cut it, if it _did_ manage to snag a hold of him. Though, the chance of that happening was pretty slim.

"But what about Ren?" Chihiro yelled, grabbing onto Toroki's arm and tugging at his sleeve with one hand, still holding Tamahome securely with her other arm. "And Nuriko, and Chiriko! What about them? What'll we do about them? We have to set them free…!" That spider meant to harm her friends; she couldn't let that happen! But what could she do? She had no weapon, no technique, or even any knowledge about fighting. "Toroki-san!"

"For the love of all four gods, stop saying 'san'! It's gettin' on my nerves!" he snapped.

Ren's older cousin joined the miko in disguise in her plea, his mind too focused on his younger cousin to worry about anything else. "You seem fast, and you have a weapon – try cutting through the web!"

"Well, ya see, the thing is," Toroki's eyes momentarily flickered back to the young man behind him. "I could try that, but if I got too close an' deactivated my power just to find out that I can't, I'm screwed. Then we're all screwed."

Chihiro gripped the injured monkey tighter, though not enough to hurt him, as a winged shadow passed over the grass at her feet. Turning about, she saw Hotohori still standing behind her with his head near her shoulder, trying in some way to protect her and Tamahome. Tasuki guarded the injured Mitsukake and Chichiri from a yard away. Nuriko and Chiriko still struggled in vain to free themselves from Tomo's horrible web. Toroki and Shuro still bickered about the hopeless situation just to her left, and both refused to see the other's logic. Everything seemed so hopeless. 'Suzaku…hear me, your priestess. Get us all out of this alive, onegai…'

A rustle in the bushes behind her startled the girl from her prayer. Making a small 'eep'-ing sound, Chihiro spun around only to have her entire body freeze in fear.

Two blood red eyes glowed ominously at her. The faint outline of pointed ears and an enormous body of muscle with wild-looking fur materialized, further solidifying as a dark gray wolf stepped out of the bushes. Its snout wrinkled into a snarl, though the corners of its lips curved upwards into a twisted grin. "We meet again, Suzaku no miko." With a fierce howl that drove all thought of flight from Chihiro's mind, it launched itself at the young woman.

xXxXx

The horrible thunderstorm had lasted most of the night in the mortal world, and it was all because his younger brothers had no self-control, Genbu thought wearily.

The eldest god really had nothing to do with this silly argument, and couldn't help but wonder why his presence was needed at all. Especially now that Taiitsukun had shown up and separated Suzaku and Byakko just as the phoenix-god's temper had burst into flames – as had the rest of his body. The commotion had aroused Seiryuu's curiosity, but as soon as he came to look in he was immediately pulled into the argument with his two brothers.

But Genbu refused to get involved now that the creator of this universe had arrived. The old woman was in a foul mood, and through years of trial and error the tortoise-god had contrived a mental list of 'dos' and 'don'ts' just for such occasions. So he stood there against one of the four granite pillars in the mirror room and surveyed the damage while the Oracle's cranky voice chewed out his younger siblings.

"Honestly! The three of you are acting like children!" Taiitsukun's temper continued rising, beady old eyes surveying the damage — charred marks on the star-spotted walls, craters dotting the floor surrounding the table and the doorway. The only thing untouched in the chamber was the mysterious looking glass, to which all four gods were most grateful.

Taiitsukun's next words were more for Suzaku than the other two. "Just look what you've done!" She jerked one arm towards the semi-demolished room behind them, her long sleeve snapping with the furious motion.

Suzaku's crimson eyes momentarily scanned the room, then locked back onto his two older brothers in an unspoken promise of endless pain once the Oracle had departed. Byakko inched away a good few yards, even ducking behind Seiryuu for protection. The dragon god met the fiery anger with a cool, steely gaze, almost like trying water to quench the crackling threats behind Suzaku's eyes.

Taiitsukun saw this behavior and rolled her eyes, shaking her head despairingly. "I swear…you three…" she just couldn't find the right words to use to condemn their antics. Later, she would probably send some Nyan-nyans to repair the damage. "And all over some childish bet…"

"A wager over my miko's life!" Suzaku's aura blazed about his form, and he shot an even deadlier look of doom toward the other deities.

"I-it was just in good fun, brother!" Byakko protested weakly. "We were just—"

"_You lie!_" Suzaku screamed, and Genbu thought his youngest brother might burst into flames again.

"Byakko-san is lying." Seiryuu's unnervingly calm voice replied. "I have no faith in your priestess, little brother. She is weak. You know this, yet you still push onward, trying to convince yourself that our plan will bloom through that girl. It is an enormous risk that you take, with your seishi as well as my own, and all of them reborn as mere animals." He glanced over his shoulder with a small ounce of irritation at Byakko, who still cowered behind him. "That is why I made a wager your miko would not survive." His indigo eyes, as hard and cold as always, met Suzaku's once more. "Just consider yourself fortunate. My seishi do not answer to me any longer. Their hatred of me runs deep; they act only on their own wishes for revenge on your warriors. I do not influence them."

Suzaku felt like launching himself at that damned, scale-covered pessimist for telling such a blatant lie, but a white light blinking from the mirror stopped him. Scarlet wings spreading out behind him, the god of love glided over with one smooth flap and landed gracefully before the looking-glass, waving his hand above the surface to bring the images into view. The Oracle watched inquiringly, floating closer to get a better look. The three gods exchanged looks, then shrugged and chose to join their youngest sibling.

Swirling mists parted to reveal a forest, but it was not a peaceful scene. A gray wolf had launched itself at Suzaku's miko. The strength in its aura traced its way back to its god, Seiryuu, who stood by and watched serenely. Genbu focused his gaze back on the mirror as he heard the girl cry out the name of one of her warriors.

The chestnut stallion had engaged the wild dog before it could get to his priestess, but struggled to keep it at bay. Without his holy sword, all he had to fight with were his hooves. And it was hard to successfully kick the enemy when it was darting from place to place, trying to sink its sharp canines into him whenever it got the chance. He whinnied, attempting once more to knock the cursed thing away. But to his dismay, it vanished from sight.

Hotohori glanced this way and that, golden eyes trying to seek out his enemy and stop it from carrying out its attack on his miko. But it was as if the wolf had never been; it had completely disappeared! Hotohori couldn't see it anywhere. And that's when he felt it.

Something leapt onto his back, snapped down on his flesh and tore back. Blood sprayed everywhere. The 'star' seishi reared up, eyes wide in both fear and pain, desperate to dislodge the predator. But he leaned back too far, and before he knew it he tumbled hard to the ground, the torn muscles in his back throbbing almost in sync with the pounding in his chest. Warm blood soaked the ground beneath him.

Suzaku lifted his eyes from the awful gore reflected in the mirror, crimson eyes narrowing at the dragon god. "You…" Ruby energy ignited around his clenched fists.

Taiitsukun's head snapped in the direction of the youngest god. "Suzaku! I forbid you to continue in this manner!"

But nothing would get through to Suzaku now, not when he was so blind with rage. Seiryuu took a few steps back; he knew perfectly well who Suzaku would unleash his anger on now.

"Suzaku-san! Stop it!" Byakko cried, hurriedly looking about for some way shelter himself from the oncoming storm of fury.

xXxXx

A loud clap of thunder sounded above the battling seishi, followed by a bright flash of lightning. The wind picked up and ruffled the branches on the trees above, and the scent of oncoming rain grew clearer and clearer as time passed.

The wolf licked its lips that dripped with Hotohori's blood and took a step towards Chihiro, who quivered in terror at what she had just seen.

"Horse meat is good," it growled, "but human flesh is even sweeter. Especially when it is the flesh of a young girl."

"T-Tasuki…" Chihiro's voice squeaked out of her so quietly that she doubted the seishi had even heard her. Her entire body trembled as she retreated from the advancing enemy, clutching Tamahome protectively in her arms. "S-stay away!"

Tasuki _had_ heard her, thanks to his excellent canine senses, and whipped around to face his miko, amber eyes swelling with dread when he saw the wolf bearing down on her. He took a step towards Chihiro, then remembered the seishi comrades he was protecting. Suboshi circled overhead, just waiting for him to let down his guard. If he moved, Chichiri and Mitsukake would be at the mercy of the winged Seiryuu warrior.

But his miko was in trouble! He swore he would look after her from the minute they had entered the book, but he had had no idea how many obstacles they would encounter on the way, how hard keeping that promise would be… No! Where would thinking like that leave him? He _would_ protect her at any cost. _Any cost_. His brow knotted, knowing that the price would be the safety of his friends. Two of his brother warriors, who had been there to haul his ass out of trouble time and time again, ever since the day they had first gathered together with Miaka.

Glancing down at his companions one last time, the seishi of speed took an astonished step back to find that they were gone! Looking around, he saw no trace of either the cat or the crow. Up above, Suboshi still hovered, waiting for Tasuki to abandon his position so he could attack the ones that the dog had been guarding. And now they were suddenly…gone?

Without warning, the wolf attacked. Chihiro screamed, turning away as if to run, but stumbled and struggled to regain her balance. In seconds, the animal would be upon her

"Tasuki, go! What are you waiting for?" The butterfly yelled from within his nearly completed web chrysalis. Soon he wouldn't be able to breathe.

The orange dog shook off his daze and bolted to help Chihiro. With his speed, the former bandit bowled the other canine aside before its jaws could touch her. But the bigger animal easily shoved him off and jumped back to its feet, saliva and blood dripping from its snarling mouth. The two eyes of his enemy glowed entirely red, and Tasuki knew what was coming next. He took a solid stance in front of his miko, ears flattened to his head and his own set of white fangs bared.

A high-pitched screech broke through the noise of battle, and the atmosphere around them twisted abruptly, all the colors and objects swirling about into sloppy patterns like a kindergartener's finger-paints. Plant and animal alike distorted, smearing into one another. All around Chihiro, voices cried out in confusion and pain.The high school girl clamped her hands over her ears to block out the awful sound, but the shrieking noise only grew in volume until it seemed to pierce right into her soul.Chihiro cried out in pain, feeling her own consciousness beginning to blur from the mind-numbing sting. "Wh…what's happening…!"

xXxXx

Translation notes:

Sou-yes

Onegai-please

A/N: OMG! Chapter 18, done! _Is very happy_ I feel like dancing! WHOO-HOOO! Lol Gomen ne, I'm just so psyched. This chapter is probably the most action-packed, and longest one written thus far! Even more exciting than 14, or 16! I'm just happy it's finally out! And it's a **CLIFFHANGER!** _Laughs evilly_

I apologize for the lateness. I was having a bit of writer's block, I'm afraid. All you writers out there know how it is, I'm sure. So, I just sat my butt down in the comp chair and forced myself to write. Then, once I got started, all the words and sentences just started coming at me! It was so cool!

And also, I was caught up in making a, if you will, "movie poster" for GA. It totally rocks! I just finished penciling in everything today! All that remains is the ink and the color! I can't wait to finish it! Well, R&R, please? Tell me what you think!

Until the next installment,

Amaya-san


	19. What Smoke Cannot Hide For Long

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yûgi, or any of the characters belonging to the ever-wonderful Yû Watase-sama, or plan to make a profit from this fanfic in any way, shape, or form. I do take credit for my OOCs, and this includes Chihiro, Ren, Shuro, and Toroki, and a few others for later. Steal them, and I will be mad. You readers have heard this before, but perhaps this equation will help you to better understand:

Me + mad _non_-happiness for everyone else around to witness/feel my wrath.

Whee! Now, wasn't that fun? Thought so. Anyway, now that is settled, on with the chapter no da!

xXxXx

Her head felt like it was going to explode!

In her arms, Tamahome was no more than a blotch of black, swirling with her own colors of the Chinese garments Taiitsukun and the Nyan-nyans had supplied for her before leaving the sacred mountain. The small monkey restricted into a ball, pain flaring across his back and through both shoulders from the rash actions, as he cradled his head between his small hands, violet eyes squeezed shut as he too screamed.

Tasuki was making a vain effort to plug his ears but having canine paws instead of hands and fingers made the task unattainable. And thanks to the sensitive hearing that came with his physical form, his eardrums were taking a beating that could not be withstood very much longer.

'W-what th' hell's happening…?' The orange hue of his fur was blending into the partially dead grass around him; just before him, the wolf was experiencing similar difficulties, the sinister redness gone from its eyes for the time being as it now had other problems to contend with.

Suboshi tumbled from the sky and Tomo's eight-legged shape detached from the web, landing on what used to be solid ground with a thud. Soon he was only an intermingling of color.

With the seishi that controlled them being down, Nuriko pushed with all the strength he could muster in the dire moment, and broke free from his gauzy chrysalis of death. The instant he did, the violet butterfly was overwhelmed, and body quivering as his own dazzling colors began to slip away from him.

And that horrible, seemingly endless sound! Chiriko had since been crying out from the same mind-numbing sting, wishing he had fingers to plug his ears instead of feathers. Almost diagonal to the butterfly and owl, Ren's eyes pressed out streams of tears passed her thick, black lashes, entire body tense and heart pounding roughly against her ribcage.

'It hurts! It hurts so much…!' A torrent of dizziness flooded the back of her eyes, and she knew no more.

In all the screaming and confusion, the cat and crow seishi appeared again among their brothers and enemies. The two animals were not even aware that they had been gone at all, and had been in a state of mystification until the horrible shrieking and the pain came.

Toroki and Shuro had since collapsed to their knees, the Byakko seishi still holding his knife between two fingers while both hands were hard-pressed to his ears trying to block out the sound. In spite all of this; he managed a small, satiric grin. 'This really will be th'last time I listen to my brain…if I ever get th' opportunity t' ignore it again…'

xXxXx

The little Nyan-nyans were panicking, bustling about the viewing room with the four gigantic mirrors set up about an elaborate throne where the Oracle herself sat, beady gaze intense as she watched the forest scene through shimmering glass. The old one resituated her hands inside the folds of her spacious sleeves, slightly bowing her head in a troubled, contemplative way. 'I hadn't expected this to happen so soon…'

"What will we do, what will we do?" Several of the magic imps cried, heads turning back to Taiitsukun as if waiting for a command. "Taiitsukun-sama, what will we do? Tell Nyan-nyans what to do! We will do it!"

She looked up. "This cannot be put of any longer. Go and bring them to safety here, at once."

"Yes, ma'am!" With several quick _pops!_ they were gone.

xXxXx

As swiftly as the ghastly sound had come, it vanished just as quickly and in doing so also returned the scenery to what it had been moments before. The exhausted animals fell over, as well as the three humans nearby. Chihiro slumped onto her side, silently thanking the dark, stormy skies above—stormy, thanks to, unknown to them, the mêlée taking place between three of the four gods—it was over. She could feel Tamahome breathing heavily, moaning softly about his shoulder wounds. Closing her eyes, the miko also prayed that the lightheadedness she felt would not lead to her getting sick.

Tasuki was feeling similar symptoms, as was anyone else present around them. Opening his dulled amber eyes a moment, and fighting a wave of dizziness, the orange dog lifted his head to look around. All his comrades were down, and it hadn't even occurred to him to be confused, when his gaze fell on the equally woozy forms of Mitsukake and Chichiri at their swift reappearance.

Their enemies were down for the count, too. He saw the lively colored spider twitch all eight of its legs in a feeble attempt to get upright, its ugly head with its dozen or so golden eyes focused on the web, and the two limp figures of an owl and Ren still tangled in its drooping, almost ready to snap, threads. Two purple wings fluttered weakly in the dead grass below them; Nuriko hadn't the strength to fly; not yet, not after all that just  
happened. Tasuki endeavored to get to his feet, but gravity almost worked against him and he decided to wait maybe just a moment longer.

He felt like he would be sick, and his head spun so much that beneath his skull, Shuro was convinced his brain-housing group was twirling like a top. Not very pleasant.

Rolling over onto his back, the young man just lay there a moment. Maybe laying still would cease the consistent rolling that tormented his senses. But after a bit of just doing this, he realized nothing would calm it and made the effort to sit up, propping himself up on his elbows. Dark eyes fell on the large web, the limp form of his cousin. And despite his own pains, a certain dread filled his heart; had whatever just transpired in the last couple of moments been too much for Ren to handle? Certainly she could not be…. He silently hoped not, with whatever part of him that wasn't disoriented and nauseous.

As he swallowed in disgust at the thought of retching, a patch of green light was faintly beginning to shine through the fabric of his sleeve just above the elbow, on his bicep. He squinted, dark brown eyes fixated on the web before them. For a moment they seemed tangible; the sticky, strong threads that held his cousin, and the woodland creature captive. 

The next moment, the intricate mass of white-woven designs faded, almost vanishing from sight. There was a huge spider web, true, but there were no more than three or four strands wound around each of its prisoners, not the thick bonds they had all seen at first glance.

"They're fake…" Shuro's mouth parted slightly in a grin. "The whole thing is an illusion—we've all been tricked into seeing a simple daydream…"

"A…daydream?" Lime-green eyes blinked uncomprehendingly as Chihiro's brow furrowed, straining to look to her companion who had just spoken. She hadn't the will power to even try moving.

With a grunt, Toroki helped himself up into a kneeling position and frowned from the buzzing in his ears, blade still poised, positioning the tip skywards in his left hand. "Now…what's this crap about?"

Shuro's sight remained on the transparency of the web, answering the Byakko warrior. "That web is an illusion. It isn't really there."

Toroki arched a brow, following the other youth's gaze to where the two were ensnared, then back to Shuro. Those exotic eyes, sharp though they were, saw no change. "Looks pretty real t'me, fragile as it seems t' be right now…" The rebel servant of the great tiger-god turned his attention to Chihiro, the girl still holding to her most seriously injured seishi, offering her a hand to assist her to her knees with the rest of them, even  
though his own up-righted-ness was unstable.

They didn't see it. Guess he would have to take care of it by himself. Breathing out a few even lungfulls of air, Shuro closed his eyes, bowing his head. The sagging spider web and all it contained materialized out of the darkness in his mind upon the absence of his sight. He searched, trying to locate the strings that would lead him to the manipulator of this realistic delusion, and it didn't take long until Shuro navigated his way though the Seiryuu warrior's dark mind and established a connection. With this knowledge, he forcibly implanted the suggestion to spider through communication of the minds, that it would be in his best interest to release them, or someone might tread over him, being weak as he was and so easy to crush underfoot.

For the two humans and animals looking on, the shock that sprang into their expressions to see the gauzy threads loosen around the unconscious owl and girl immensely and carefully lowering them to rest on the ground before disappearing.

"Wh-what the…?" Toroki turned his cinnamon-haired head in the other's direction, but nearly sprang back with surprise. Chihiro saw it too and gasped.

An aura of emerald-green flowed around the young man who lay mere inches away from them, and shining through the material of his clothing, on his arm, there burned a character. The jade hues almost gleamed white in its bearer's elevated exploit of his powers. The last of his strength having flowed out of him, Shuro gave a fatigued moan and fell back, eyes rolling back as his lids slammed shut from exertion.

The miko gave a startled squeak, pulling away from Toroki to try and help him. But a puff of cheerfully colored smoke plumed up before her, and with another start, Chihiro fell back. Seconds later she found herself being embraced tightly by small arms and a childish voice commanding, "Chihiro-san! Taiitsukun-sama sent Nyan-nyan to help! Get all of warriors and bring them close; Nyan-nyan will take you back to a safer place!"

Chihiro found enough strength in her to stand, Toroki popping to his feet soon after her but then knelt to grab hold of Shuro. The raven-haired girl beckoned for the turquoise-haired cherub to follow her. "Hotohori is wounded, badly. I don't know if he…" Watching his unmoving form from a distance, the miko's words stalled on her lips.

'He may be dead.'

Icy prickles raced up and down her back and spread the apprehension to the inner core of her heart. For a moment, she stumbled for words. "I…I don't know if he can move." Maybe if she sounded sure enough of herself, he would live. If Chihiro made sure to stress that word, he would begin to move a little. Maybe he wouldn't die. "You'll have to come over to us."

The magical little girl agreed.

Approaching the fallen stallion while she and the other animals began to gather near, she feared that he might have been gone—at first. Scrutinizing him heavily, she started to see his sweat-soaked flanks heaving in the motion of strenuous breathing. The air held confined in her lungs was promptly released. However, the bite wound to his back looked deep, staining his beautiful coat around the area, and giving it a crusty appearance. It was horrible to stare at for too long. Kneeling beside him softly, the girl patted his muscular neck while her eyes shone with concern for the 'star' seishi.

"Hang on, Hotohori…we're going to make you well again soon," she whispered soothingly. Turning back, Chihiro saw that most of the animals had clustered around them, walking over on wobbly legs or hitching a ride if they felt too shaky to accomplish the task themselves. She smiled a bit, seeing Tasuki making his way over toward them with care. On his back, a drowsy-looking Chiriko fought to stay awake in order to hold on to the orange dog for the few steps it took. And holding onto the little owl was the purple butterfly, the luster to vibrant his wings somewhat diminished.

Chichiri and Mitsukake let themselves collapse once reaching the rest of their party, both appearing faint and in a lot of pain from their healing wounds. Tamahome was a bit worse off than those two, and his priestess brushed the side of his face comfortingly and like she had with Hotohori, asking him to wait just a bit longer.

Toroki had quickly gone over to where the web had been, grabbed Ren and half carried, half dragged her over to the rest of the group, having already done so with the girl's cousin. The Byakko warrior sighed, plopping down beside Suzaku's chosen maiden, spent, and gave an immediate wave of his hand. "Let's get th' hell out of here, b'fore our company decides to join us."

Nyan-nyan nodded, clapping her little hands together and chanted a small spell. The wolf, the hawk, nor the spider had a chance to react before their enemies disappeared from the clearing.

Silence descended. The wind blew in the trees, foretelling an oncoming storm. There seemed to be a lot of those the passed few days.

There came a rustle. Poking its head out from its refuge, a small, gray fox trotted out from the underbrush, a mourning dove cooing softly as it sashayed gracefully from the treetops to land near to the hawk. The pointed ears of the vixen flattened slightly, nudging her light-headed ally to his feet.

"I really thought you, Ashitare, and Tomo would be enough to stop the Suzaku warriors this time. We were all unlucky to be stuck in these forms," it said, bushy tail twitching with indignation.

Suboshi swatted her forepaw away with a wing. "Shut up, Soi! No one made you stay behind with that…"

"We should leave them be," interjected the dove before his—at one time—younger twin could get out a predictable insult towards the strongest member of their number. "They are gone now. There's no way we can follow them. It's pointless to doggedly pursue them like we have been, so let's just drop it and be done with it!"

"Hmph. Pacifist," growled the gray wild dog, not the least bit concerned with the threat gleaming in Suboshi's eyes should he continue with his words further.

"Nakago will not like this, either way," Tomo added, heaving a sigh. Ashitare growled his sentiment, picking himself up where he had fallen in preparation to follow the others. Soi came behind the scraggly wolf and the scuttling spider up ahead, allowing Suboshi to hitch a ride on her back with Amiboshi softly flapping his wings beside them. The hawk roughly folded his wings, in a manner like a human folding his arms in a huff.

"If he wants to annihilate those damn Suzaku warriors so badly, why doesn't he just go after them himself," the 'angle' warrior muttered under his breath. Amiboshi shook his head unknowingly, blue eyes offering what comfort to his brother what words could not, looking ahead of them into the woods.

xXxXx

A rather large bubble burst, and a Nyan-nyan, all seven Suzaku seishi with their miko, Toroki, and the two others with them, were on the sacred mountain. The change of scenery was agreeable to them, and the sense of protection was undoubted by any of those who were still conscious and not ready to drop over dead from exhaustion. But then again, that classified everyone.

"Nyan-nyan, see to their wounds." A croaky, old voice came up as its owner appeared before them.

"Yes, ma'am!" Several replied brightly, each one multiplying and flying to each individual, or animal, to see to their needs. Three came to Chihiro, asking if they might take Tamahome from her a moment to "fix him." Not knowing what else to do, the girl allowed two of the imps to take him, the third remained floating before her. "You are dizzy and sick. I'll heal." Taking her small index and middle finger, the Nyan-nyan poked them to the miko's forehead, closing her young, round eyes in concentration. Bit by bit, Chihiro felt the nausea and symptoms like that of a beginning migraine start to fade until she was back to her old self again.

"Thank you, Nyan-nyan," she said, the returned response being a fierce hug and a happy squeal.

"We go help the others now!" And away they zoomed to her different companions. The miko noticed Shuro and Ren were gone. Maybe the delightful little girls had taken them to their rooms to rest up. Chichiri, Mitsukake, and Tamahome were having their bandages changed with the greatest amount of tenderness she had ever seen. Hotohori seemed to be responding and coming around while his wound was seen to with just as much devoted concentration. Nuriko, Chiriko, and Tasuki all checked out well, and Toroki kept waving the little girls away like they were a swarm of gnats. They were starting to annoy him, asking every five seconds if he was sure he did not hurt, or  
"need to be fixed."

Chihiro giggled softly at that, but turned serious again soon after. Gradually, as the Nyan-nyans finished their work, she made her way over to her companions. "Is everyone alright?" she asked worriedly. No matter how they felt, or looked, all in the room gave some affirmative sign that they were all right, whether it be a nod, a grunt, a spoken "Yep!"

"Yokatta…" she sighed, kneeling again beside the stallion and throwing her arms around his neck in a hug. Most of the animals got hugs, whether they expected it or not. Any pent up tension still working away at her was released bit by bit, with each hug she gave out. Nuriko, being as small he was, received a few delicate strokes over his revitalized, lavender wings. "I'm so glad all of you are here and safe, minna…"

From his position leaning back against the wall, arms folded comfortably behind his head, Toroki snorted disdainfully. What was this; some sort of fairytale "happily ever after"? Steadily, he could feel that nausea from before returning in no time flat.

'Well…'least she cares about 'em, anyway…" Another moment and he could see that most of them openly reciprocated those feelings. 'They must be tight.' And for a moment, he could not help but envy the group just a bit. Toroki never had that type of connection with anyone most of his life, and at least not until he met… He shook his head fiercely, casting out that particular train of thought.

Taiitsukun allowed the girl and the party of animals some room to expel any extra energy before approaching them; descending nearer to the floor to better engage them in a discussion she was about to open. "I am very pleased that you managed to find all seven of your warriors, Chihiro, and that the lot of you were able to make it back here. With some help." She added curtly, readjusting her hands within her sleeves. "However, now that you are all gathered here, there is the matter of a certain ritual that must be performed—"

"'Ritual?' Nani?"

"Why yes, of course," the Oracle answered, voice indicating the ridiculousness of the inquiry being made. "In order for your seven guardians to see you safely through your mission, they must have better forms. And what better, than that of a human being?"

"H…h-human! B-but…! How can—nothing's making any…" More lovely rambling, maybe one thing that Chihiro excelled in, without a doubt.

xXxXx

She gulped, standing there stiff as a board in front of her warriors and the Oracle. For a moment, a wish that her newest companion, Toroki, were still in the room with them, but the ceremony was to only be between priestess and her rightful seishi. He was probably resting up somewhere comfortably in the magnificent palace.

Well, at least Taiitsukun had offered to read her the words to the spell so she wouldn't have to struggle through it—she knew next to no Chinese anyway, so this was a good thing. That took some of the weight from her shoulders.

But would she really be able to complete it, the spell?

Chihiro lowered her eyes. 'I'm just an ordinary girl…I don't know what I'm doing!' How could she possibly complete this task set before her? Maybe Suzaku should have chosen someone else for the job.

She could just hear herself! So full of doubt.

Why had the phoenix selected her to fulfill his mission, assigning her as the priestess? She was hardly the strong type…not too courageous or strong emotionally, either. What could she accomplish in this?

The Oracle's voice interrupted her. "We will now begin, Suzaku no Miko. Just repeat what I say." After receiving a nod, the aged one began to recite. The girl listened to each sound, syllable, each Chinese word with extreme care before taking a deep breath and beginning it as well.

**"Riding on the four wings of heaven's song,  
let my words the four elements beseech:  
Colors join together, bright and strong…"**

As she spoke the words, her loose hair rippled like the sea, wisps of black brushing softly against her face. With her eyes closed, Chihiro could not see any of the wonder that was, and would happen. But her seishi could. The outline of her petite form traced a line of red, following its way around her body as her hands lifted and extended from her sides.

**"At their lead, fire burns within my reach.  
Great phoenix, emerge from our southern keep!"**

Beneath the feet of her warriors, a scarlet light began to surface and brightened the room with its presence. The divine wind increased, snuffing out the ceremonial candles but provided the light needed for the Oracle to continue reading the miko the rest of the enchantment.

Chihiro's body tingled with excitement, but also a little fear. How was she doing all this? Was by her hands, her voice that caused this wind to come up? The temptation to  
open her eyes and see exactly what was happening was very enticing indeed. But suppose she became distracted? The spell might not work then, or something worse might happen if the process should go wrong. Chihiro squeezed her lids tightly together.

And, at the very core of her being, the girl felt this odd warmness that…. It was just so lifting in all aspects of the word that she didn't want it to end. She listened carefully to the rest of the incantation, repeating it dutifully.

**"Carry the flames of passion on your wings.  
Withdraw your warriors' bodies from sleep…"**

Chichiri felt a surge of energy wash through him, inhaling sharply as a series of tingles navigated their way over his body. Lifting one of his front paws to his face, the small cat was astonished to find the usual cream fur coat of his replaced with a brilliance of pure light.

Nearby, Chiriko gasped as he was lifted up—through no will of his own—from his resting place on the intricately woven carpet bearing all twenty-eight constellations, each one elaborately sewn into the mass midnight blue, representing the sky; the four different colored threads: blue, white, green, and red.

All of them were being lifted up. The monkey flailed around a bit, not liking the suspension at all though he wasn't even that high off the floor. Hotohori's dark mane waved about, the celestial pull against gravity picking up first his front legs, the hoofs of his hind legs sliding a bit before he was totally carried by the wind. The crow flapped his good wing a moment or two, as if trying to keep his balance.

**"And by your loving flames that spirit brings,  
to human form, the zodiac restore,  
and breathe your light through them forever more!"**

The light beneath them erupted from the floor, engulfing each warrior within its bindings like protective cocoons.

The glorious rays within absorbed into Nuriko's wings, and before the butterfly could draw his next breath, the change washed over him. Once vibrant wings molded into arms and legs, violet bangs soon dancing before astonished wine-colored eyes.

Likewise with all the others, a hoof, paw or feathered wing transformed into a limb of a human being's. Tails vanished, and beaks were exchanged for noses. Muzzles took on the shape of chins and lips. Fur disappeared, and perfect, smooth skin took its place. With one last explosion of light, all was dark again.

Eager, and a bit apprehensively, Chihiro blinked open her curious eyes to see the darkness, as well as a cloud of ruby smoke easing towards her once the candles had slowly relit themselves with the Oracle's help. Quickly looking to Taiitsukun and back to the smoke, she hesitantly moved forward to meet the strange cloud in unsure silence, swallowing nervously.

"Minna? I-uh…did it work?" she called out, voice wavering just a little and just above a whisper. At first no one answered, worrying her all the more. "Hello?"

"Y-yeah…" a male voice answered. "We're fine. We're…AGH!" A second voice had joined him in that shout which succeeded in scaring the miko; both were clearly upset about something.

Her black slippers slid along the floor as Chihiro took another step. "What's wrong? I thought you were fine—"

"Stay right where you are!" A third called, near frantic. "Don't come any closer!" It stopped her dead in her tracks.

"W-well…why not?"

"Well, Miko-chan," began a voice that she knew, but for the moment she couldn't place an animal face with the owner. "It just so turns out that we're currently…naked."

Dark blush quickly erupted over her features.

"Don't tell her, you idiot!" The first one yelled from within the crimson smog.

"What th'hell is it with you an' wantin' t' see people naked, ya old hag!" That comment, of course, was addressed to Taiitsukun. And, of course, Chihiro could guess that loud, impertinent voice anywhere.

"This is degrading…" a soft, low voice replied in a sigh.

"So, really, if you would stay put, we would really appreciate it, no da…" added a tenor, the third voice to speak from before.

"May I respectfully request several robes for my companions and myself?" a voice, though rich and smooth as velvet, carried an understandable twang of deep embarrassment.

"And Chihiro?" said the first. "If you could turn around, that would be—"

"Gah! Er, um…I…ah, sure! O-of course, I-I wasn't trying to—" She still had not turned around at this point, so she quickly spun to look the other way and nearly went sprawling on her face, upper body reacting faster than her feet could. "I didn't…um…s-see anything…" And now her face burned red.   
Wonderful.

"Nyan-nyan has the robes!" The little girls unabashedly flew passed the mortified priestess and into the red smoke to deliver said articles of temporary clothing to her warriors.

"Get away! We don' need anyone else seein' us naked!" So far, the only voice she could identify clearly was Tasuki's.

Chihiro could almost hear the imps smiling as she heard them say, "Nyan-nyan is not troubled by that! See? Her face is not red like Chihiro-san's!"

Oh, gee…that made her feel so much the better.

"Put on the robes! Remnants of Suzaku-seikun's divine powers are growing thinner!" A few yelps and rustling of fabric was heard following this comment.

Bare feet padding towards her gave the unspoken signal that it was okay to turn around. When she did, the one to confront her first was surprisingly not much taller than herself, with light, delicate skin and a beauty mark just beneath her left eye. Or…his? Either way, the person stretched their arms vigorously, seeming in high spirits.

"Alllright! Finally, back in a human flesh and blood body! This feels great!" The voice rang in an alto type of pitch. Was it a woman?

"Um…who are you?"

That stopped the person in their tracks; wine-colored eyes blinked once or twice before an understanding smile appeared, and lifting a hand to dig his fingers through a clump of bangs, they said, with a hint of a chuckle, "Yeah. I'm Nuriko."

Only then did she notice the purple locks. "Oh, oh—well, um…okay," she stammered. But what now? Just flat out ask Nuriko his gender?

Well, wait a moment. Chihiro seemed to recall hearing from Tamahome that Nuriko was male. 'But, but, if that was so…'

The one she had met as a handsome butterfly looked rather…feminine at the moment. It was true; the dark, purple hair was cropped short at his neck, except for two long extensions that just brushed against his collarbone. And from quick glances so as not to offend, the chest beneath the ivory-colored robe looked flat.

Knowing what she was thinking already, he grinned. "What's wrong, Miko-chan? Am I too much to take in at one time, maybe?" he teased. She blushed.

"Careful, Nuriko. Wouldn't want flame-boy to roast you for that remark." A second figure emerged, and light violet eyes seemed to smile kindly down at her, shifting to the other warrior. He too took a moment to stretch. "Man, this feels great…" Then, looking back to her, added, "Thanks for everything, Chihiro. And I'm Tamahome, by the way."

Her eyes popped. She still hadn't quite gotten over the fact that Nuriko was Nuriko, but now to know Tamahome was Tamahome! He still had those light violet eyes, shining with more energy now that his near-fatal wounds were healed.

Then she remembered the whole thing that came with his being injured: Chihiro had been carrying him the majority of the time since Suboshi's entry in the chapter of her quest. Least to say, there was a rare moment when he was out of her caring arms, weak as he had been.

She blushed rather darkly. It was just out of concern that to do what she did! Risking eye contact, she still found him smiling, nodding his head to her in thanks once more to which she returned the gesture. Her embarrassment still clung to her like glue, though, mingled with curiosity once again at his new form. His hair was a little too long, in her opinion, but it contrasted well with the light hues of his eyes. And with the gratitude being shown her, it was hard to stay in her analytic mode. Especially now, since she was anxious to see what the others looked like.

There were four shapes that she could discern that particular moment and Chihiro squinted her eyes, looking beyond the 'oni' and 'willow' warriors. The two separated, allowing her passage to greet the others.

Dusting the last bit of smog away with his hand, another young man turned to face her, with just as kind a smile spreading over his face. Two knelt; one helping the other rolling up the extra long sleeves of the robe that stretched well passed his arms. Aquamarine eyes looked up, locking onto Chihiro's as the small child beamed cheerfully; the one assisting him with his sleeves gave her his attention as well, rolling up the left once more and stood up.

'Wow…he's tall,' Taller than anyone she knew, or had seen back in her own world anyway. Coming to the fourth warrior in her sights, her eyes never strayed from his face, almost unblinking. There, stretching from his left eye, and over the bridge of his nose, was a large, rather jagged scar, some of its awful angles hidden by a few strands of bright cyan bangs, which defied gravity, unlike the others. When Chihiro noticed how long she had been staring, and seen his unmarred right eye gazing back at her, the raven-haired girl felt guilty, ashamedly looking away for being so pointedly rude. But something made her turn back, and when she did, she was met by an understanding, forbearing smile. Her shame dissolved at once.

"Um…could you tell me your names, please?"

The longhaired gentleman, the one with the trailing, healthy brown locks, spoke first. "I am Hotohori," he concluded in that rich, smooth-as-rich-chocolate voice, and Chihiro inwardly felt herself melting. The appearance of an elegant stallion had suited him in the past, indeed. Automatically, her eyes moved to the next one over.

"I am called 'Chiriko'," the adorable little kid answered, and sounded so cute that the priestess' girly instincts almost made her rush over and scoop him up. The situation being as it was however, with the freaky transformations and her animal friends not really being animals anymore, she resisted quite well.

Chiriko. The last one she had found. How could she have forgotten?

"Mitsukake." The tall man simply stated his name in a low, rumbling voice.

He was Mitsukake! The crow! Agape—all the while trying not to make even more of a fool out of herself—she did a quick once-over. It took a couple seconds, but she soon nodded, trusting his word and her own observations. The only way she could identify him for sure was the dark, sooty color of his hair, like the black feathers he had at one time, which now had a brown tint to it. Now that this matter came up, the miko found that she knew his voice already as well, and his eyes, even with his towering height, held such gentleness that Chihiro was intimidated very little.

"Ore wa Chichiri na no da," replied the cyan-haired man, right eye almost closing in a cheerful salutation bestowed upon the school girl. Again, the single mahogany depth held reassurance against the small incident from earlier. In fact, the girl almost responded aloud, had it not been for a small movement behind them. Once locking onto it, her breath hitched.

Confused, and looking over their shoulders, the seishi soon understood their miko's sudden rigidity and stepped away, taking away the only barrier standing between her and their brother.

The last of the seven to be revealed stood with his back to everyone, working frantically to tie and knot the white sash around his waist. The task would have been very simple, had it not been for the nervous tremor in his hands. He was mumbling to himself, too, but what, no one could say. Chihiro moved forward, passing through the small space between the healer and Tamahome as they allowed her room to do so. The smog cleared just a bit, and her eyes caught a flash of bright orange hair. Tasuki's orange hair.

'No way…' Her heart beat faster. "…Gen-chan?"

Hearing her call his old name, he flinched, spun around. With that movement, the raven-haired girl almost seemed to stumble backwards. Bright amber eyes connected with startled lime-green, his orange bangs swayed still from the sudden movement. His lips were parted enough that Chihiro could see the white points of two fangs. His skin was a little more tanned than that of her other warriors, the neck of his robe was open more at the chest, and despite the poor light, the miko could definitely detect the  
firmness of hard muscles beneath.

'His shoulders are so broad…' The thought crossed her mind before the girl could stop herself. Folds and creases over the unexposed parts of the chest led her eyes on a lovely little tour of his attractive physic, and so distracted was she that it didn't occur to Chihiro to apologize for her so blatant ness of ogling him. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, wanting to say something to break a silence that was growing more and more uncomfortable for him the longer he was stared at with such...intensity. Those green eyes of hers never ceased to move the longer they remained on him!

The shock stemming through her at this point was…. Just to see him like this—to realize exactly what it was her dog, at one time, looked like, was almost inconceivable. Impossible. Unviable. And yet…

"Gen-chan? Is that really…you?"

He cleared his throat, standing stiff and tense. "W-what?"

It was his voice. She could scarcely believe her own ears; as well as being mildly surprised he hadn't belted out the usual 'Don't call me that!' at the pet nickname. "…Gen…chan," Chihiro took one step, swayed, and fell back. The redheaded seishi darted forward in alarm, but the healer had already acted in his stead and caught the miko before she hit the ground.

"She just fainted," he affirmed evenly, resituating the girl in his arms.

Knowing now that nothing serious had caused their priestess to pass out, Chichiri grinned, casting a quick glance at the fanged seishi. "Hey, Tasuki, your scary face made her faint no da!" All the solemnity in the room evaporated at that line.

"I do not have a scary face, dammit!" Came the sharp retort, chibi arms flailing. But it was too late. The rest of their company had already given in to pleasant laughter, and the little Nyan-nyans joined in with them, not seeming to care about Tasuki's evident embarrassment over the matter. Taiitsukun was the only one that managed a straight face, although the corners of her mouth turned upwards in a smug manner. This time, that hothead's face was the one being called scary, and not hers.

xXxXx

A hand waved before a bubble of smoke in which she could see the images of the transfigured Suzaku seven, and their priestess. "I do not see why she fainted. That one isn't that bad looking," she admitted as the dark magic performed a close-up of Tasuki's irritated features. "Not bad at all; he looks rather tasty." She smiled, then focusing next on Chihiro's relaxed face as she dreamed, grew somber again. "That little girl is much stronger than I first thought. Very strong…"

"She is, Mistress," was the emotionless reply of the dark-haired gentleman from his kneeling position before her. In her presence, he was always down on his knees, watching. "You are not so spent, demonstrating a fraction of what the capacity of your power can implement, are you?"

"Why, no, my star." Came the silky reply to the poisoning, questioning voice. "If anything, I am all the more anxious to get a hold of that darling girl and her little friends. I've special plans designated to all of them." Closing a porcelain hand, the orb hissed into smoke and vanished before her. "But, Yuan? There is a favor I must request of you…"

"Any thing you might request of me is an honor to see through, My Lady." He replied, dark head bowing slightly lower in his show of respect for the shrouded entity. This obviously pleased her, if she stood up from her dark throne with so much grace and balance that it looked like she was actually floating. Stepping delicately towards him, long, plum-purple garments trailing behind her, the being lowered herself down before him, rearranging her skirts as she did so. With an inquiring glance, he looked up, nearly coming nose to nose with his superior. He didn't pull away, but remained kneeling.

Her pale hands toyed with a few strands of his rich bangs, painted lips stretching in pleasure at the willing glimmer in his crystalline topaz eyes. "Go to them, alone, once they leave Taikyoku. Test their strength. I want to know what I can expect of them, before I advance further with any of my plans." Her next words were a bit firmer, though the sweetness remained. "But you are not to kill one of them. Am I clear?" At this, she extended her hand to him.

"Perfectly." Yuan took the offered hand in his gloved one, lightly touching his lips to the back of it. "And at once, My Lady." With a swirling of silver smoke, he vanished to fulfill that which was asked of him. Alone once more, she thought back to that redheaded warrior of Suzaku.

'That boy cares…rather deeply for the Suzaku no miko. I wonder…'

xXxXx

Translations:

seishi-warrior  
miko-priestess  
yokatta-thank goodness, or I'm glad  
minna-everyone  
nani-what  
Suzaku no miko-priestess of Suzaku

"Ore wa Chichiri na no da"- In the sub. version of the anime, this is how our beloved monk introduces himself to Miaka, Tamahome and Nuriko after the mini-fight at Tama's family's house. 'Ore' is another way of saying "I", rather than 'watashi' or 'kimi.' I think it's the humblest way of referring to yourself, but I ain't Japanese, so if any of you reading this are, correct me!  
gomen-sorry; full version "gomen nasai"

**_A/N:_** MWHAHA! Chapter 19, finished! _(dances)_ You are all looking at one  
happy authoress here! Man…it just seems like yesterday I started writing  
this fanfic. Oh, the memories are all starting to flow… _(blows nose)_ Gomen,  
but my emotions sometimes get the better of me.

Sooooo, do you like? Be honest! I like honesty. Honestly! Haha. So R&R, please-ness?

Oh! Wait! Before I get to that, I would like to give a special thanks to:

Dee-chan! (penname: It's the Dee) Without her, the last chapter wouldn't have been  
possible! My grammar can be so terrible sometimes…so, yes! Arigatou, gal  
pal! There is also someone else who deserves a word of thanks: Chiharu-chan! (penname: chiharu kamoshiro). Without her, this chapter wouldn't be up! See, both of these guys-who are really girls-are there for me like this! I like alternating, giving them a chance to flame, criticize, and or praise me for each chapter! Aren't I just so wonderful? Hehe, well, that's all for now, peoples!

Okay, I lied. That isn't all. See, all this week, I was chilling off in…**DISNEY WORLD**, BABY! Mwahaha! Yeah, so…that's why chapter 19 took so long to get out, and chapter 20 might take a little longer to get out as well! Okay, _now_ that's all for now!

Until the next installment,  
Amaya-san


	20. Manifestations of Doubt and Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yugi, or any of the characters belonging to the ever-wonderful Yuu Watase-sama, or plan to make a profit from this fanfic in any way, shape, or form. I do take credit for my OOCs, and this includes Chihiro, Ren, Shuro, Toroki, Yuan, and a few others for later. Steal them, and I will be mad. You readers have heard this before, but perhaps this equation will help you to better understand:

Me plus mad equals _non_-happiness for everyone else around to witness/feel my wrath.

Whee! Now, wasn't that fun? Thought so.

One more thing; I came up with what I thought Namame would look like/be able to do before actually having read Genbu Kaiden. And Watase-sama's version of Namame is a…very stark contrast. So…yeah. Anyway, now that that is settled, on with the chapter no da!

xXxXx

It felt like she was nestled in the center of a cloud; so soft and light, not to mention warm and protected. Chihiro almost wanted to ignore the call from her body to awaken, but in the end lost the struggle and opened her eyes. It wasn't a cloud she rested on at all, but a nice, comfy bed. The miko sighed, nuzzling her face into the fluffy pillow and briefly closing her eyes once more.

"This feels terrific, nothing like any of the mattresses back home," she spoke softly to herself. 'Back home…' she thought. Just how much longer would it be until she saw home again? Did her mother and father even know she was gone? It must have been a few weeks now, spending time here in Konan. Wouldn't they worry about her?

'Wish I could let them know I'm all right… that nothing's wrong.'

But was everything really okay? The high school girl was still troubled about her relationship with Ren. Chihiro could have sworn that there was something special between them, something _other_ than the attraction that Ren had felt for "Hiroshi."

The miko rolled over onto her other side, pulling the blankets snugly around her figure. 'I shouldn't have disguised myself. Or I could have at least revealed myself earlier, before she developed feelings towards me.' Yet a small voice inside her head told her that it would have been a bad idea.

Had she revealed herself to Ren that night after she and her animal seishi had rescued her from that ravenous bear, it would have been no different than calling out to the Seiryuu seven, or to that new evil Taiitsukun had mentioned before the journey began. And that could have endangered not only herself and her warriors, but also Ren and her entire family! _That_ was the reason she had chosen to hide. _That_ was the reason she had needed to lie, and play her part to keep them all out of trouble.

But in the end the enemy still ended up discovering her secret! That wolf had been ready to _kill_ Ren, and if Chihiro hadn't acted when she did…! Taking that risk might have lead to her own death. So why, then, had she chanced it?

To save her friend.

Her _only_ friend.

But Ren hadn't seen it that way at all. Through Ren's eyes, their entire friendship had become an illusion when "Hiroshi" turned into "Chihiro." She couldn't realize, or simply _wouldn't_ realize, that there was still a person beneath that disguise. After all, Ren only had eyes for Hiroshi. She wanted nothing to do with the _real_ Chihiro. And for some reason, that thought hurt Chihiro more than all the injuries the Seiryuu seishi could possibly have inflicted.

Chihiro rested a moment or so longer, then pushed herself up. The warmth provided by the soft blankets fell away and she shivered slightly, hugging herself. Looking about the room, it didn't take long to recognize it as the same space she had used before setting out on her trip to find the remaining warriors.

Now they were all found.

'Wonder what's going to happen now? Everyone's here, so…' Chihiro's cheeks flushed as she remembered the events from the previous day. 'And they're not animals anymore.'

Climbing out of bed, Chihiro found her slippers resting beside her. As she eased her feet into them, the girl soon spotted a mirror situated nearby and went over to it, noting with some relief that there was a brush lying on its smoothed surface. Her hair looked a little tangled, and combing through it a few times would easily fix that. Pulling the long, ebony locks over her shoulder she began to do just that, all the while still thinking to herself.

A glimpse from her hazy memory brought back the image of a certain warrior, and the lingering blush on her cheeks flared up again. "Tasuki…" Then the others flitted into her mind as well, and slowly she began to recall the faces and names of her warriors. Momentarily, she wondered where all of them were and what they were doing.

The brush glided easily through her hair as she turned her thoughts to the other three that had traveled with them to Taikyoku. The miko hadn't seen Toroki since before the ceremony, and the last thing she'd heard about Shuro and Ren was that they were resting peacefully.

Shuro. Thinking about him brought another slew of questions to her mind. How had he done that, back in the forest? More importantly, _what_ had he done?

'And what did that character on his arm mean? Shuro-san was glowing with power…but how could that have happened? I thought he was just a normal person, like Ren.' She frowned as the name came up again. What would Ren think of her now, for getting her and her cousin involved in all of this? Would she hate her even more?

The young girl set down the hairbrush and smoothed out her clothes once or twice, still watching the mirror but refusing to make eye contact with her reflected gaze. She still felt too much shame for deceiving the other girl, even if Ren _had_ hurt her feelings by jumping to conclusions and never once giving Chihiro a chance to explain.

'Part of what she said is right, though,' she thought sadly, 'I did mislead her, and in so many ways, but...I just thought that…'

Someone rapped softly at the door and the miko's previous thoughts left her.

Used to having a maid back home tapping at her door early in the morning, she responded with an automatic, "Come in."

One of the two doors to the chamber eased open and gravity-defying bangs poked through the crack, as well as a face that made Chihiro do a double take. It was a smiling face to be sure, but something about it looked… unnatural. Two half circles for eyes, and two smaller half circles above them to serve, what she supposed, as eyebrows? It appeared to bear the image of some sort of…cartoon fox.

"Konban wa, Chihiro-chan no da!" the cheerful person greeted, "Taiitsukun said you would be getting up at this time na no da." Now that she could see him from head to toe, Chihiro took in the rest of the friendly man's outfit. He wore an oddly designed cloak that draped over one shoulder, along with a string of jade and crimson beads that hung around his neck. Underneath the cloak he wore an off-white shirt, olive brown-green pants, and white leggings that had been crisscrossed over with string up to the base of his knees. Black slippers completed the strange outfit.

'Didn't the ritual work?' she thought, a little confused, and in doing so almost missed his remarks. "Wait… evening? It's evening now?"

The cyan-haired man nodded. "Mm-hm. But it's understandable – what you did the other day would have taken a lot out of anybody no da."

"Uh-huh…" Chihiro nodded dumbly, still gawking.

"But since you're our priestess, it wasn't as… ano, is there something wrong no da?" he asked, head tilting slightly to the side.

She turned her eyes to the ground, trying to stop herself from staring. "Oh, no. Nothing at all, really."

He greeted her with silence, and Chihiro knew that _he_ knew she wasn't telling the truth. Not that that was much of an observation, she thought with an inward curse: her behavior made it as obvious as the clear daylight streaming through the window.

"Um…I know this might seem odd," Chihiro said once she'd worked up enough courage, "maybe even a little impolite, but what is…I mean, your face, um…wasn't it…?"

The miko didn't know how, but she sensed that the man's half-circle eyes blinked, hand going up to his face. The instant his fingertips made contact with his own visage, a knowing expression spread over his features. "Oh! I think I know what you mean no da."

Chihiro then proceeded to freak out, as Chichiri pinched the edge of his face and seemed to pull the skin straight off! "Gah! W-what are you…?"

"Don't worry, it's only a mask no da," he assured her, removing it just enough to reveal the rich, mahogany gaze of his right eye before moving the mask back into place. The half-circle eyebrows curved upwards a bit. "I'm sorry if I scared you no da."

She shook her head, fighting back the rush of adrenaline and – had that been a little bit of fear? – that had swept through her body at the sight of the monk's second face. "N-no, it's all right. I just… wasn't expecting it, I guess…" She took a deep breath, fighting to recover her composure. The people of this world were, without doubt, in a class all their own. "And you're Chichiri, right?" He nodded. "Are you here to take me to the others?"

"Hai na no da! Taiitsukun said she has something to discuss with the priestess and the warriors... and we all wanted to know how you were doing, too." As he reached for the door handle, a small grin quirked the corners of his mouth. Instead of opening it manually, the monk made some sort of gesture with his right hand, waving it to the side. He didn't seem to notice the curious glance his miko sent him, as a split second later the door flew open and another member of the Suzaku seven fell through the frame, face-planting just a few feet from the young miko.

Chihiro squeaked, springing back in surprise before a blush began to gather over her face. She knew who this one was right away.

Amber eyes glared up at his eldest brother warrior. "Dammit, Chichiri! Why'd ya—?"

"Gen-chan…"

The soft voice got his attention not a moment too soon, saving Chichiri from yet another of Tasuki's infamous rants. "Uh…hey, Chihiro," he muttered, quickly standing up, dusting off his garments, and keeping his eyes firmly fixed on his boots.

The miko timidly returned the greeting, toying with the knotted sash at her side.

Chichiri grinned, and to his priestess's further astonishment, suddenly turned chibi, clapping his small hands together. "Well, I'll just leave the task of escorting Chihiro-chan to Taiitsukun all up to you, Tasuki no da!"

"Nani? O-oi! Wait just a—" But before the redhead could protest further, the chibi monk vanished from their sight. Tasuki slammed the door closed again with his foot. "Damn monk…" he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and chanced a glance at the ebony-haired girl, but it didn't last long. Chihiro kept her hands clenched together nervously in front of her, and for some reason neither of them could stop the pink from seeping into their cheeks.

"Ano…I like your outfit," she offered, trying to strike up conversation. Well, that and she really thought it looked nice. "It really brings out your eyes and…uh…"

Stupid. She felt like a total idiot. _It brings out his eyes?_ What could she have been thinking? That was just it, though – she wasn't thinking at all. Still, it _did_ suit him. Dark colors, with the exception of the misty gray shirt he wore beneath his overcoat. There was a strange weapon strapped to his back, too. And to think the last time she had seen him, the only thing he'd been wearing was a simple robe, open at the chest…

Her face flushed even brighter as she realized where those thoughts had been leading.

"What's wrong?"

Chihiro cursed inwardly – had he noticed the way her blush had practically exploded across her face? 'Baka, baka, baka,' she grumbled at herself, hastily attempting to conceal her blunder. "N-no, it's nothing."

'Oh yeah,' she berated herself, 'Real smooth cover-up that was, Chihiro.'

xXxXx

Unbeknownst to the awkward youths, two figures had gathered outside the door, pressing their ears against the wood in an attempt to hear Tasuki and Chihiro's conversation. Mitsukake raised an inquisitive eyebrow, pausing in his steps. "What are you two doing?"

The two jumped, startled by the other seishi's presence, then made harsh motions for him to be quiet and resumed pressing their ears to the door, snickering softly into their hands. He sweatdropped and shook his head, turning to continue down the hallway. Almost at the same time, Shuro turned a nearby corner and walked straight past Nuriko and Tamahome, not even batting an eyelid at the eavesdroppers.

Nuriko called out to him in a sweet whisper. "Oi, Shuro-chaaaan! Come spy with us!"

The young man shook his head. "Quite all right, I'll leave that to you two." And continuing down the hallway, added, "Besides, I don't need to put my ear to a door in order to know what's going on inside."

All three of the Suzaku warriors stared after him in bewilderment. After a moment of puzzled silence the two crouched at the door shrugged, brushing off his comment and turning their attention back to the task at hand.

xXxXx

"So, um…do you know why Taiitsukun needs to talk with me?" Chihiro asked at last, choosing to break the silence.

Tasuki shrugged, folding his arms. "Dunno," he answered truthfully. "She's always been weird like that fer as long as I've known her. Even when Miaka was around, an' that was awhile ago." He trailed off in thought.

Desperate to keep the conversation going, Chihiro said, "She must have been a wonderful person, to have all of you miss her like that."

A nod. "Yep, she sure was…"

"Tamahome seems to have known more about her though," she continued. "Were they, um…?"

"Together?" Tasuki supplied with a boyish grin. Chihiro blushed at the words and nodded. "Yeah. Didn't take long fer all of us t'figure that one out." A pause. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why'd ya wanna know about that?"

"Oh…curiosity, I guess," she answered.

"Curiosity?"

"Yes. You know…having a desire to investigate or learn…"

He face-vaulted. "I _know_ what that means."

"Oh."

"Yep."

Silence. It was becoming a regular occurrence, this lovely quietness.

The bandit smacked his lips together in boredom, eyes scanning the room. "Guess we better go…the old hag'll start t'get moody if we don't hurry up…"

"Oh, okay." Chihiro moved to follow him.

Tasuki opened the door, but instead of walking through it, the bandit had to take a step back as Nuriko, Tamahome, and – to his extreme surprise, _Mitsukake_ – tumbled onto the floor. Tasuki's temper flared. "What th'hell're ya doin', sneakin' around and listenin' in on our conversation!" His amber eyes fell on the normally taciturn seishi. "Mitsukake, you too?"

"I didn't hear a thing," explained the healer, hurrying to his feet.

"There was nothing to listen _to_!" Nuriko complained, rolling his eyes. "You're such a _dull_ conversationalist, Tasuki-chan."

Tamahome smirked, eyeing his brother mischievously. "Tell me about it! And even with the time you had, you still haven't told Chihiro that you—"

"—Shin'en!"

Tamahome didn't have a chance. The holy fan fried him instantly, reducing the seishi to a twitching, overdone mass on the floor. The flames had also charred the doorpost behind him, but the other two members of the Suzaku seven had been wise enough to duck out at the last minute.

Nuriko chanced a peek back inside, waving nervously towards Chihiro and Tasuki. "Well, we better get going! You know how impatient Taiitsukun can be!" he giggled, keeping an eye on the fuming bandit while grabbing a hold of the fizzled 'oni' warrior and speeding out of the room with Mitsukake right on his heels, leaving their miko and fellow warrior to sweatdrop and stare after them.

"You wanna go?" Tasuki asked at last, shouldering his long-time favorite toy.

Chihiro shook free of her daze. "Mm, let's. And Tasuki?" She eyed him curiously a moment, taking prompt steps to keep up with his pace. "What did Tamahome say that you needed to tell me?"

His face darkened, but he quickly began heading out the door, sliding the large, metal fan back into its holster. "Heh, that Tama…he can be a real kidder at times, eheheh…" The nervous laughter did little to quell the miko's suspicions. "He's just pullin' my leg about somethin' b'tween us. 'At's all. It's nothin'."

"Oh…okay."

xXxXx

His footsteps echoed in the darkness. An aura of silver loomed around him protectively; shielding him from the strange elements through which he strode as his mind turned over the task his Lady had given him.

Find the Suzaku seven. Test them, without killing them. Report back to Her.

It sounded easy enough. He only wished that She would give him the chance to prove his strength and loyalty in a more challenging assignment. Then perhaps She would see his powers, and he could do more for Her than simply knocking the seishi around a bit. He hungered for that chance.

"Going off to greet the enemy without me, huh?"

Without even looking around, Yuan continued on his steady pace through the gloom. "Yes."

"_She_ asked you to go, didn't she?" The owner of the soft voice fell into step beside him.

"Yes."

"Can I join you?" she asked.

"No. The Lady wishes that only I go to receive the followers of Suzaku as they leave the sacred mountain. Mount Taikyoku is their only protection, and once they leave its borders they will be susceptible to my skills. I do not need your help."

Despite the curtness of the reply, the other only grinned, tossing her long, midnight braid over one shoulder with a quick movement of her hand. "Stubborn as usual," she said at last, a note of fondness in the words. "And always willing to please Her. Fine…but if your butt gets kicked, don't expect any sympathy from me."

Yuan opened his mouth to reply, but another voice cut through the darkness. "That will be nearly impossible." Dull chimes sounded through the gloom as the newcomer spoke, and topaz eyes gleamed from the shadows. "Yuan's only failure has been in battle against me."

"Yeah, yeah, right. You'll never let us forget that, Jiang," sighed the figure with the braid.

"Of course not. And regardless of this fact, the Lady still accepts _him_ as her favorite," the one called Jiang remarked with biting cheerfulness, and again the chimes sang. He turned his attention to Yuan's glaring topaz eyes, so similar to his own, and smiled, voice dripping with mock-happiness. "Good luck no da."

xXxXx

Chiriko was pouring over an old scroll when the two great doors parted, opening inward to admit his priestess and fellow warriors. The youth carefully rolled up the parchment, tucking it away in his sleeve for later as he turned to the throne where the Oracle sat meditating. "Taiitsukun-sama, Chihiro-san and the others are—"

"Yes, I know," she snapped, opening her eyes and turning to face the new arrivals. "It took you long enough. I even made it a point to send Chichiri so that everyone would be here at the requested time." She glared down the line of seishi. "I had hoped to speak with the priestess individually, _before_ all of you arrived."

"Well, she's here now," Tasuki snapped, setting his hands to his hips in frustration. "Yer always so damn crabby! Lighten up fer a change, will ya?"

The Oracle didn't even blink. "Nuriko," she commanded softly, without the tiniest hint of anger, "smack him."

_Whap!_

"ITAI!"

"Oh my!" Chihiro exclaimed, watching with wide eyesas the bandit seishi, after attempting to retaliate the first blow, went sailing into the nearest wall with a casual backhand.

"Thank you."

Nuriko flexed proudly. "Mm-hm!"

The monk took this moment to speak up. "I apologize for not bringing Chihiro here as you requested, but Tasuki followed me to Chihiro's room and I thought there was something that… daaa…needed to be talked out between the two of them no da."

Nuriko fought to suppress his snickers, but an audible giggle echoed through the chamber almost as soon as Chichiri finished speaking. Tamahome looked pointedly at Tasuki and grinned from ear to ear. The bandit responded with a few grumbled curses as he picked himself up from the floor, but everyone in the room couldn't help but notice how he refused to meet the eyes of his priestess.

Chihiro glanced from seishi to seishi, confusion etched across her face. What was going on? What had needed to be discussed? A small flash of panic wound through her. 'I didn't offend anyone, did I?'

"Oh." Taiitsukun brushed the topic aside with a wave of her hand. "We have important matters to talk about, most importantly, how we shall summon Suzaku."

"All seven of us are present, as is the priestess." Hotohori put in. "We have only to enter the shrine at the capital and…"

"We are without the scroll, the Universe of the Four Gods." Chiriko pointed out to both his fellow seishi and the creator. "Even so, we have summoned the beast-god a number of times without it. But what sort of methods do you intend to use, Taiitsukun?"

"The darkness that has been growing since Chihiro's arrival to this world possesses a stronger concentration of evil up towards the northern part of the continent."

"Hokkan territory no da," Chichiri supplied for his priestess's benefit.

"Yes, and that power only matures with each passing second. Its influence is swiftly edging closer to the point of surpassing all of your strength combined. Soon none of you may be able to confront it at all, and the Suzaku no Miko would have to seek help elsewhere."

"Stronger than all of us put together?" Tamahome echoed, bowing his head and folding his arms. "Then whoever's responsible is definitely no one to mess with."

"Who would be able to help us?" Nuriko asked, raising the question on everyone else's mind. "There's only the seven of us. No one else would think of helping us even if we told them the situation. And…there are no seishi from any other gods around."

"There you are mistaken, my friend," a familiar voice said, emerging from the shadows of a nearby column. "Help may be closer than you think."

Chihiro's face brightened and she turned, running to greet the new arrival. "Shuro-san! I'm so glad you're—you are alright, ne?" she inquired. When he nodded, her face broke into a smile. "Thank goodness! And, what about… what about Ren?"

"She is well, thank the heavens, and still tucked away in her room. I visited with her before this conference began," he answered, watching for the ebony-haired girl's reaction when he finished.

Chihiro couldn't help but smile at that bit of news as well. Even if Ren _had_ hurt her, that didn't mean she could stop caring about the other girl as well. "Good… I'm really glad…"

"Whadda ya mean we're mistaken?" Tasuki interrupted, returning to the topic at hand. "Who'd wanna help us?"

"Well, there are two. For starters," said the young man with a smile, "me."

Chihiro looked up at him with a start. "Really? But…but what can you do?" she asked, adding quickly, "I—I mean, we appreciate you wanting to help us, but…it might be dangerous. And, well…um…"

"What is it that you did, exactly?" Chichiri asked, studying him curiously. "Back in the forest, just before Taiitsukun brought us here, I sensed a brilliant life force flare up among us, and then go out no da. You mean that was…"

"Me?" Shuro echoed his own word again, still flashing that confident grin to the older seishi. "Yes. I may not be a member of the Suzaku seven," he stared momentarily at Tasuki when he said this, "But it _is_ celestial powers that I possess. Namely, powers granted from Genbu."

"Genbu?" Chihiro repeated.

"The guardian of the northern country, Hokkan," explained a curious Nuriko, watching the young man before them. Shuro smiled back at the puzzled seishi and rolled up his sleeve a little past the elbow, and there, on his bicep, glowed a black Chinese character.

"The tortoise-god that watches over Hokkan, the northern country. Genbu-seikun was the first of the four beast-gods to be summoned, long, long ago." Chiriko supplied, smiling up at his priestess.

"Yer a Genbu seishi?" Tasuki oh-so-brilliantly concluded, as slow on the uptake as ever. "But ya still haven't told us exactly _what_ it is y'can do." Shuro regarded him again with an enigmatic stare. Tasuki couldn't help but feel a little disturbed by this guy, but chose to glare right back anyway. "What's yer problem, na?"

"This guy's really creepin' me out. What th' hell is he doin'? Jus' starin' at me like that…th' hell is he ramblin' about now?" Shuro said in a perfect mountain accent, while everyone else looked around at one another, confused. "This guy's _really_ weird… dumb kid with his long hair 'n' pretty-boy face, thinks he's so tough when he's barely got enough muscle ta—wait, hold on, he's speakin' the same thoughts as—no way. No frickin' way…"

"No _frickin' _way!" Tasuki echoed aloud.

Shuro's dark eyes closed, and the symbol on his arm faded to nothing again. "Your hair isn't all that short, either," Shuro pointed out to the bandit. "Yet you're still very strong."

The bandit seishi's jaw dropped. Nuriko smirked. "He's got you there, didn't he, Tasuki-chan?"

"Urusai!" the bandit shot back, stomping his foot.

Ignoring the noise behind her, Chihiro peered up at Shuro with renewed interest. "What's your _name_?"

He blinked, then seemed to understand her question and said, "Namame." The young man swept out an arm and bowed low to Chihiro smiling up at her through his bangs. "Let me accompany you, Priestess of Suzaku, to repay you for saving both Ren-chan's life _and_ my own."

Chihiro shook her head and held up her hands. "No, Shu – I mean, Namame-san, you don't have to run into danger for _my_ sake! I wasn't even the one who cured you," she explained, turning around to indicate to the tall doctor. "Mitsukake did. I only brought him to you, so—"

"Ah," Shuro said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "and if not for you doing that, I might not have lived a day longer. Please, let me repay your kindness – and the kindness of your warriors."

"There is no choice involved in the matter," Taiitsukun said before Chihiro could issue another protest. "You need more help and protection. Namame shall accompany you, as will Toroki."

"He will?" the miko asked in surprised happiness. The other Suzaku warriors couldn't help but notice the subtle, glowering expression on the redheaded bandit's face. "But where is he?"

"I shall summon him when his presence is required," explained the deity, a grim shadow falling across her features. "For the moment, though, I want all of you to pay attention. What I am about to tell you is very important."

xXxXx

"Jiang, come to me."

A portion of the darkened room shimmered, and before long a shaded figure, posture relaxed yet attentive, appeared amid the shadows. "You called?" he inquired with an easy smile.

The Lady did not return his smile. "I would like you to cloak Yuan's life-force from the enemies. Can you do that?"

A quick nod of confirmation. "Just from the Suzaku Seven and those other two, ne? Shouldn't be too hard…has he made it out of your limits yet, Mistress?"

"No, my star."

"Okay, then…" Jiang planted his staff in the moldable floor of the murky environment before clasping his hands and situating his fingers in a specific gesture. He looked up after a moment, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

"Keenly observant, my star. I like that trait in you, Jiang. I'm glad I gave it to you."

"You gave me all that I am, Mistress," the dark one said with a formal bow.

She giggled at that. "Indeed. Listen to me entirely before you speak. You are to not only conceal him from those fools, but also the Oracle as well…" She waited for him to balk at such a demanding request, but when he met her with his unwavering topaz gaze, she continued. "I will supply you with the added strength needed to do this. Now, is there anything you would like to say?"

"No, Mistress."

"Good. You may begin, and use this well." Black masses of energy seeped out of her form, orbiting her body for a few seconds before zooming across the room and slamming into him with a force that almost knocked his feet right out from under him. Brow creasing from the sudden surge, Jiang took multiple deep breaths, long and slow, before pouring out his own ki into the task at hand.

xXxXx

Toroki picked at the wall with one of his smaller blades, jaw set firmly in suppressed anger. 'Damn her…' his mind whispered as he thought of the aged Oracle. 'Damn her! It's all her fault that I'm…! That she…!' His hand tightened around the knife handle, jabbing harder at the wall and creating a considerably large gash. The green depths of his eyes burned with contempt, and a flush gathered over his features.

Then, almost as quickly as it had appeared, his anger left him. Shoulders slouching, the Byakko warrior allowed his hand to fall away from the knife, leaving it imbedded in the wall as he rolled up one of his sleeves and, uncoiling one of the bandages he wore on both arms, stared at the long pink scars that marred his tanned skin. Some traced from his wrist all the way up to the midsection of his arm. He had made those marks himself, each one another desperate attempt to leave this world and all of its pain far behind. There was nothing left for him here, yet he could not die.

And now even Taiitsukun had denied him the opportunity to at last rest, after all these long, suffering years, to finally return her, to Karasuki of the Byakko seven! He was the only one left now. A couple nights back, he had felt the life forces of the old couple vanish. The beast-god had willingly granted them sleep, so why not him? Why was he the one who always suffered?

"Kara, I miss you so much…" If her beautiful spirit could hear him, wherever it was, he hoped that she would visit him in his dreams tonight—and that such dreams wouldn't reminded of _that_ _day_, so very, very long ago.

xXxXx

"The Dragon's Eye?" Chiriko frowned. "I've never heard of such an artifact before, not in all of my studies…"

"It is so ancient, child, that it is likely your teachers never knew of its existence themselves. All information regarding it was sacred, its history only passed along by word of mouth for a long time, so long that some no longer believed and called all references to it a story, a myth. But it did, and still does, exist." Taiitsukun continued. "Either way, Chihiro, you and your friends must find this item, if you are to have any hope of saving this world and each other from your enemies."

"You mean this Dragon's Eye thing could work against that force, or whatever, that's up north?" Nuriko asked.

"I believe so, yes."

"Very well, then." Hotohori nodded. "How shall we go about looking for it, Taiitsukun?"

"You will look in the country of Kutou, as that is the land of the Dragon. What other place _would_ you search?" At the mention of the eastern kingdom, all parties in the room fell uncomfortably still. "Once you find it, Chihiro's duty is to wear it on a daily basis, and to never take it off. Otherwise, all of you will be susceptible to the darkness."

"I…I can't…" Taiitsukun turned her gaze towards Chihiro, who clenched her hands tightly at her sides, trembling. "I just can't…I can't, Taiitsukun! _I can't!_" Her head shot up, lime-green eyes filling up with more and more tears with each passing second. "You told me at the beginning that all I needed to do was gather the seven warriors of Suzaku, and I did! And now you want me to go out there again, with everyone trying to kill me – to kill _all_ of us! – and find some ridiculous old relic no one knows about anymore, and after that, take on this incredibly strong being… and all just so I can go home…" Her voice quivered with held back sobs, and even cracked in fear on her next words. "I _can't_ do this, Taiitsukun!

"So far, nothing has gone right; so many people have gotten hurt, and all because of me! Their lives were put in danger, because of _me_! These seven people put their lives and safety on the line, all for the sake of protecting me!" Chihiro crumpled to her knees, tears flowing freely, now. "I don't want anyone to get hurt anymore! We're lucky we made it back here alive! If it hadn't been for Nyan-nyan…" she shuddered. "Or that horrible sound—!"

"So, in spite of everyone else's efforts to protect you, you _still_ intend to give up?" the Oracle's voice thundered, silencing the rest of what the girl might have had to say. "If you stop now, no one in this world will stand a chance of surviving, yet all _you_ want to do is give up simply because the plans you'd formed in your own mind didn't come to pass? A priestess requires a far stronger will than that, or she can never summon a beast-god! All the effort of your warriors will have been for nothing if such an event occurs! Do I make myself clear?"

Chihiro's heart pounded in her chest. Never had she seen the ancient deity explode with such ferocious rage. And, though she would never know it, _none_ of the Suzaku seven, not even Chichiri, had seen Taiitsukun act like this before, either. Not even to Miaka. Painful silence blanketed the room, making each second an agony, and Chihiro could feel everyone's eyes staring at her, waiting for her answer. But all she could do was tremble under the creator's rage, fighting to hold back another wave of tears, fighting so hard not to just… just run away, and keep running, and—

"Hey!" Tasuki's angry voice cut through the silence, fists clenched at his sides. "Whatta shitty thing t'say, after all she's done so far!"

Tamahome came up alongside the redhead, violet eyes flashing in agreement. "Yeah, anyway! Chihiro's done what you asked her to; in spite of everything, she's pushed forward. I think that's a good indicator of her strong will!"

"So why don't _you_ be th'one t'lighten up? _Sunakake-babaa_!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" She thundered, ominous shadow falling over two equally mortified and trembling chibies. They stuttered nervously.

Someone coughed softly, and all eyes turning to regard the monk seishi. "I really believe Chihiro-chan's doing her best," he said in a calm yet respectful voice, "given the circumstances no da." The beady, old eyes rested on him now, but the masked seishi only smiled back. Several nods from others in the chamber followed.

A sigh. "Chihiro," Taiitsukun's said, voice quieter but still with the hint of a sharp edge.

"Y-yes!" She squeaked, head bowed, hands twisting together nervously. "I… I understand. I'm sorry."

Tasuki muttered, "Why should Chihiro be th'one to apologize—oof!" Tamahome swiftly jabbed him in the ribs to shut him up.

Chihiro's tears had at last dried up as she listened to the voices of those who chose to stand up for her. While grateful, Chihiro still couldn't feel _truly_ relieved. Because she knew that the Oracle was correct, and she doubted that anything her warriors might say would make her feel better about that. But she couldn't help it, feeling so frightened and selfish! It was too much; all of this… it was just too much. Still, if someone would at least _look _at her, then maybe the fear and shame in her chest wouldn't feel so heavy right now. If Tasuki could smile at her, just for a brief second, then maybe she wouldn't feel like they were all supplying her with a false sense of comfort and confidence, and secretly doubting their own ability to succeed – because after all, how could a priestess who was so certain of defeat _ever_ lead them to victory…?

Suzaku _must_ have chosen the wrong person for the job, she decided. She couldn't do this. But it didn't matter anymore. Trying to change Taiitsukun's mind would only lead to another dispute, and Chihiro had never been good at confrontations. Now that she thought of it, she wasn't good at very much of anything.

"I'll send you on your way now." Taiitsukun shook her head tiredly, closing her eyes. "I have nothing more to say."

The room around them began to fade as decorative tapestries turned into a forest of trees and large clay vases became small shrubs or rocks. Chihiro instinctively grabbed for the closest individual, out of fear. She was _always_ afraid of everything, she realized, but before she could voice her thoughts to the nearby deity, she and her seishi vanished.

The old woman shook her head again. "Suzaku, I know she is the one you hand-chose to carry out your purpose. Yet I worry for her, and her lack of confidence…"

In spite of Tamahome's earlier efforts, Taiitsukun heard every word, though she acted otherwise. And as much as the Oracle hated to admit it, that foul-mouthed bandit was right. It had not been her intention to lash out at the young woman from the start. But the creator carried a heavy burden, awareness that the evil threatening the survival of all in this world was growing, spreading over the land at an alarming rate, even more so here of late now that the priestess had finished gathering all her warriors about her. Chihiro, once obtaining the Dragon's Eye and summoning Suzaku was their only hope of beating this menace, and then, to hear so many words of failure from the lips of the only one who could make it happen…

The Nyan-nyans folded their hands wherever they levitated about the room, looking down at the floor sadly. "Poor Chihiro-san…"

xXxXx

Tasuki blinked as the mountain shrine dissolved into a forest, surprised to find something latched onto his arm. He glanced down, about to tell Nuriko to stop playing around, but instead found Chihiro's head buried in his shoulder, her slim frame shaking from another wave of silent sobs. The bandit seishi cautiously looped his free arm around her shoulders in hopes of lending the girl some assurance, looking to the other warriors helplessly.

What were they going to do now? He would be damned if they even _implied_ getting started towards Kutou while Chihiro was so upset. But only silenced greeted him. No one could think of what to say, what to do. They all felt the same way he felt, Tasuki realized suddenly – wanting to offer comfort, but unsure how.

Tasuki turned his gaze towards Toroki, who sat nearby glancing about in confusion. "What's up with you?" the bandit managed to ask, glad to have _something_ to take his mind away from the weeping girl on his shoulder. "You look kinda mixed-up."

"I think I've got a pretty good reason to look that way," Toroki shot back with a sarcastic smile. "One second, I'm sitting alone in a corner of the palace, and the next I'm standing in a big friggin' forest with a bunch of Suzaku warriors who look like the sky just fell. I think that'd confuse anyone, don't you?" He offered a few choice words to the Oracle under his breath, then stood up and sheathed his knife. "So what now?"

"We get as far as we can tonight, I guess…" Tamahome suggested with a shrug.

Hotohori opened his mouth to suggest that they wait a moment until Chihiro had gathered herself, but Nuriko beat him to the punch. "I'm in no hurry for now…let's take a little break before moving on, ne?" With that, he settled himself down against the back of a tree. "It's so quiet and peaceful here…why not wait a couple minutes?"

Tasuki nodded and leaned down a little closer to Chihiro, asking if she wanted to take a seat somewhere in the shade until she was ready to go. The girl sniffled and nodded, hiding her tear-stained face from the others as the redhead led her over to the nearby birch tree. Namame and his younger cousin, who had appeared at his side during the teleportation, settled down a little ways off, talking quietly with each other. Ren looked terribly troubled, and he was doing his best to explain the situation to the girl.

Chiriko watched them a moment, then leaned over to the masked seishi and said in a low voice, "I thought Taiitsukun wanted to speak to Chihiro-san alone as well." His young voice sounded worried. "But I don't think she ever did."

The boy's aquamarine eyes watched as Chichiri spread his hands uncertainly."Whatever it was, it must not have been that important no da," he decided, making himself comfortable on a nearby patch of grass. "If it had been, Taiitsukun wouldn't have sent us away so quickl—" Chichiri stiffened, half-circle eyebrows knotting together at the same time Namame jerked to his feet.

"Chichiri-san?"

"Shuro, daijoubu?"

The tone in both Chiriko's and Ren's voices attracted the attention of the nearby seishi, huddled around Chihiro. Nuriko stood, taking a step towards the monk. "What's the matter?"

Instantly the copper staff materialized in the monk's hands as he stood up, glancing around and moving to stand protectively in front of his priestess. "A new life force," he murmured. "And a _hostile_ one, no da."

"Nearby," Namame's eyes also scanned the clearing, a faint glow emanating from his arm. "Someone's thoughts… they were about us…" At this, Nuriko too began to look this way and that. Hotohori drew out the holy sword from where it hung at his side and took a position close to the priestess, as did Tamahome, Mitsukake and Chiriko. Toroki also stood, Namame hurrying his cousin over to the safety of the group.

Tasuki reached for his tessen, unsheathing the powerful weapon while still keeping one protective arm around the girl at his side. Chihiro's tears had dried up a few minutes ago, but her puffy eyes now flitted about the forest, wide and dilated. Already, it was happening. And she had a terrible feeling that whatever was about to come after them was a hundred times worse than anything that had happened to them so far.

"You certainly give the impression of being resolute, protecting your precious priestess and all," a voice taunted from above.

"C'mon out already," Toroki called lazily, extracting two blades from beneath his tattered sleeves. "We're in a hurry and stuff, so if ya don't mind just comin' out…"

The stranger responded with a pleasant chuckle. "Fine, I will reveal myself to you." An object shot out from the treetops above them, sending a few green leaves tumbling to the forest floor. All the warriors tensed for the impending confrontation as a figure landed before them with perfect balance and grace, standing upright and folding his arms across his chest

Yuan's topaz eyes scanned the small crowd before him. He smiled jovially. "Hello, warriors and priestess of Suzaku. I knew I would come across you eventually, if I waited here long enough."

xXxXx

Translations:

1) miko-again, that means 'priestess'

2) seishi-'warrior'

3) Konban wa-'good evening'

4) Ano-'uh/um'

5) Hai-affirmative, like 'right', or 'yes'

6) Chibi- 'small/little'

7) Nani-'what'

8) Oi-'hey'

9) Baka-'idiot' or 'stupid'

10)Itai-'ow/ouch'

11)Urusai-'shut up'

12) Sunakake-babaa literally means 'sand-throwing old hag.' However the heck he came up with that nickname is beyond me…

13) Daijoubu-the shorter way of asking someone if they're okay

A/N: MWAHAHA! Aren't I just so e-vil? To leave you hanging so long from the last update, only to give you chapter 20, and how does it turn out? Another cliffhanger! (Like how I always leave it at! Mwaha!) But you all love me. Actually, never mind, don't answer that question, unless you really mean it, heh.

Sorry about the lateness, though. School has been really difficult lately, and I apologize. There's…just been a lot of stuff to keep me otherwise occupied. Well, anyway, sorry for the shortness of this Authoress' Note, but…I gotta fly! (Not literally, but you all know what I mean.) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll try to get the following one out faster. Most of you are thinking, "Suuuuure she will…" I'm sure. But I will honestly try.

Well, until next time minna!

--Amaya-san


	21. Dark Seishi

Disclaimer: Man, am I getting tired of this. I do not own Fushigi Yugi in any way. All the credit must go to the wonderful Yuu Watase-sama, who allows us to use her characters and concepts here in fan fiction. I do own several original characters, and the ideas for this particular plotline. Now I better not get any complaints.

Author's Note: I just wanted to take this moment to say thanks to everyone who gave me some really good ideas for fillers in this chapter and more to come. Without them, as much as I would've hated to do it, GA might be discontinued! Le gasp! But now I intend on finishing it! I just can't tell you exactly when that will be, heh. Those following people are: Dee-chan (penname: It's The Dee), Chiharu-chan (penname: Chiharu Kamoshiro), Rika-chan (penname: Rika Hitoshi, Rikku Urashima), Sarah-chan (penname: Seira Ayuda), and Ashton-chan (penname: Insanity Squirrel.) I love ya all!!

**!!!IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!:** It has been brought to my attention that "Gathering Again" or GA as I refer to it, bear some resemblance to some of the things that are in another's fan fiction that I will not deny having read. This fic is called, "Fushigi Yugi: The Next Chapter" or FY:NC. Please note that is not my intention to plagiarize other's works just to use for myself, even though the story and its authoress are very kickass (hiyya, Dee-chan! ). I was not thinking of FY:NC at _any_ time while writing GA. For those of you who have read/are reading it, my "Lady" and the Dark Seven are not intended to be replicas or copies of original characters in that story. As for the whole "Lady" bit, I wasn't sure what my Dark Seven should call this woman to show they had a great amount of fear for her commands, as well as give their respect to her as their leader, if you will. Get what I'm saying? And I would like to point out that my Dark Seven are nothing remotely similar to Dee-chan's "Elements" in several ways, which will be revealed as you read.

There.

If you remember the story plot up until this point and want to skip the nifty recap, just scroll down until you see a 'xXxXx' and then begin to read. If not, the recap is there for a very special reason just for you! Also here are a few more important things to look out for:

" "-spoken words

' '-thoughts; (if it's like this: "The old saying goes, 'Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.'" it doesn't count.)

_italics_-in this instance, it shall be a flashback; I sometimes use this for dream sequences, too.

Story Recap Thus Far: Chihiro has entered the world of the book, taking up the role as the Priestess of Suzaku, or Suzaku no Miko. Journeying through Konan under the guise of a young man—with the help of an enchanted, appearance-changing bracelet given to her by Taiitsukun, she discovers her seishi one by one in the form of different animals. Along the way the group of animals and their miko encounter the warriors of Seiryuu, also reborn as animals. With the Seiryuu seishi out for revenge, it was important that they reach Taikyoku as soon as possible.

On one occasion, she meets Toroki and he saves her life from a group of street bandits. This mysterious young man teases the Suzaku Priestess to no end, and leaves her company after a short while only to rejoin her in her travels later.

Before locating her last warrior, Chiriko, Chihiro suffers a great loss: a young girl, Ren, who had befriended her earlier (thinking she was a boy), discovers the miko's secret and pushes her away. Fate would have it that they would meet again under dangerous circumstances. During an attack by three animal members of the Seiryuu seven, Ren's cousin, Shuro, reveals himself the reincarnated Genbu Celestialwarrior, Namame.

Sensing the situation up north growing worse, as well as the distress of the Suzaku Seven, Taiitsukun uses her awesome powers to whisk them back to her holy palace. There, Chihiro recites an incantation that reverts her warriors' bodies back to that of human beings. It was not long after that when Taiitsukun spoke to Chihiro about an ancient relic called the Dragon's Eye. With the holy scroll long since burned, and no shinzahos remaining to aid the summoning of Suzaku, the Dragon's Eye was the only way to save the land from certain destruction and complete darkness. One problem with this: The relic is supposedly nestled deep within Kutou, the home country of the Seiryuu seishi.

Taiitsukun quickly sent them all from her palace to go in search of the Dragon's Eye, and they were just clearing the borders of the sacred mountain when a dark, imposing figure made himself known. Who was he, and what exactly did he want?

xXxXx

"Hello, warriors and Priestess of Suzaku. I knew I would come across you eventually, if I waited here long enough."

"Who are you?" Hotohori's normally gentle voice took on an imperial tone of command. "Identify yourself immediately!"

The dark stranger grinned, muttering to himself. "Ah, I see…so you would be Xing's match, then…" He continued eyeing the other seishi gathered about the priestess, the dark-haired girl with that smooth, alabaster skin. She seemed utterly terrified.

Tasuki glowered, pointing the metal fan out towards the stranger, and decided to make things perfectly clear. "Listen! I ain't waitin' around fer ya t'quit mumblin' to yerself! Either tell us who ya are, or beat it, 'cus I'm gonna fry ya to a crisp with my tessan right now!" Disengaging Chihiro from his arm, he wound back, shouting the incantation that would call forth the holy flames. "Rekka-"

"I don't think so." Before Tasuki could finish, Yuan leapt up, vanishing from sight but only for a moment. He reappeared up on a nearby tree limb above their heads, leaning casually against the tall trunk. "Just helpless little sparrows…how can you possibly protect one, small girl?" Scanning the group once more, he frowned when his topaz eyes came to rest on where Ren. Shuro, and Toroki stood, lingering on them, a puzzled frown forming.

"In case you were wondering," Shuro call up to him with a smug air, "Toroki and I get our power from two other deities, he from Byakko, and for myself, Genbu. I am called Namame."

Nuriko grinned, sensing their adversary's apparent surprise. "Maybe having a telepath on our side won't be so bad after all."

Yuan recovered quickly from the surprise, playing along. "You guessed correctly, 'Namame.' Though hasn't anyone informed you how rude it is to invade another's personal thoughts?"

He shrugged indifferently. "Guess it slipped my mind." Edging slightly closer to Chichiri, he murmured, "I don't understand. I can enter his mind, but not deeply. Something…something's blocking me from doing so, otherwise…"

Toroki twirled the twin blades he held in his hands, interrupting Shuro's whispered conversation. "Oi! Why don'cha come down? I mean, if you're that scared of us an' all, by all means just hop away like you've been doing, like a scared, little bunny, and we'll mosey on in our own direction." He winked. "Sound good?"

"I have no intention of leaving just yet… Toroki, wasn't it? I came here with more important goals in mind, not to play guessing games with you, as entertaining as they are."

"Then what the hell do you want?" Tamahome yelled, exasperation clear in his voice.

"Not just yet, Suzaku no Tamahome," Yuan spoke smoothly. He shifted position in the tree, springing off it and landing before them once more. "Send over to me the one you call 'Tasuki.' In fighting him will you see exactly who I am."

"Why Tasuki? What do you hope to accomplish here no da?" Chichiri had not looked away from the dark form since he first appeared, hands clenched around his copper staff, ready to defend his comrades if necessary. He did not like the strange glimmer in those cunning eyes. Their enemy was secretly planning something. He could feel it. Yet, when he tried to tap into the man's life force as Namame had, he was met with a formidable barrier, one that was utterly saturated with darkness.

Yuan's cocky eyes slid over to him. "Wouldn't you like to know, little monk? Can't you feel the answer?" The dark one turned to Shuro. "Or read my mind, perhaps?"

The Genbu warrior's face shifted to a frustrated glare, hand reaching out to make sure Ren was still safe at his side.

"Don't bother with him, Chichiri." Tasuki, who had never been one to turn down a challenge, came forward with the tessan resting over his shoulder and a wide grin on his lips. "Heh, if he wants t'get his ass kicked, I'd be more than happy t'do it for him."

Chihiro quickly grasped his shirtsleeve before he could stray too far from her side. "Tasuki, please…don't. It feels wrong, and what if…please don't," she pleaded.

Golden eyes stared down at her uncomprehendingly. "What? Ya think I can't stomp his ass on my own?"

She answered quickly. "Iie. I mean," the Suzaku priestess quickly corrected herself, "I _do_ believe you could, demo…"

"Tasuki, don't be a complete idiot." Nuriko stepped around to face him, lowering his alto voice so the dark stranger would not hear. "This guy's got some trick up his sleeve that he's waiting to use, I just know it. There's a reason he knew your name and wants to fight you." His hand reached up, coming to rest on the redhead's shoulder. "I'm telling you now, don't rush headlong into a battle without knowing what you could be up against. I made that reckless mistake on Mount Black."

Tasuki fidgeted at the memory from their past, eyes dropping away from the violet-haired seishi.

"Come, come, we haven't all night," their enemy called over to the group, tapping his foot to show his impatience. "If you send him over to me now, I promise only to wipe the forest floor with his head and leave the rest of you alone."

"How nice of you," Toroki muttered, clucking his tongue in annoyance.

Tasuki shrugged out of Nuriko's hold, casting what he hoped was a reassuring smile at his brother warrior. "I think I'll be alright. You were alone when ya jumped inta that battle. I've got more than enough support." Here he gestured to the cluster of friends standing protectively around them. "And I got this." Tasuki flicked his golden eyes down at the tessan on his shoulder. He stepped around Nuriko, moving to engage the enemy, diamond tessan in hand. "Ya said ya wanted a fight. Let's go."

"Wonderful. So glad you decided to accept." Yuan cast him a fake smile, feigning elation. "Even though you will be sorely humiliated before the eyes of your friends by the time we're through." A sarcastic snort from his opponent was the only reply to this. "Now the fun begins."

"Cut the crap." Tasuki's symbol blazed to life as the enemy and his comrades watched him take one step forward before he suddenly disappeared, as if vanishing into thin air.

"Oh, you _are_ fast," Yuan remarked. As the diamond tessan came down on him, Yuan turned and sidestepped the assault, easily avoiding the strike. He smiled. "But not fast enough."

Cursing at the other's unanticipated speed and his missed attack, Tasuki tried another tactic with the metallic fan, unable to use his incantation at such close range. His opponent ducked, evaded, and dodged each blow with a frightening quickness that almost matched his own. Setting his jaw in determination, Tasuki tried faking him out with an attack and instead swung out in a roundhouse kick. His opponent leaned back, leisurely watching as the black-booted foot passed a hairsbreadth from his face.

'He dodged again!' Disbelief filtered through golden eyes. 'There's just no way…' He was sure the two of them must be moving about the clearing at an alarming rate. 'How th'hell is this guy so fast?'

At last, the enemy had had enough. Reaching behind his back, Yuan extracted a weapon and blocked the 'wing' seishi's dangerous advance with a tremendous clang. Everyone gave a start, including Tasuki.

"It can't be!" Nuriko exclaimed, eyes wide as the two figures paused in their fighting long enough for everyone to get a clear look at them.

Chiriko gaped. "Another tessan?"

Smirking, the stranger broke free from his power struggle with Tasuki. He flipped backwards, springing off a nearby tree trunk and sending a flying kick Tasuki's way. The seishi bandit instinctively blocked with his forearms, exerting enough strength to push away his attacker. This did little to throw off the dark-haired stranger's balance, though – he landed gracefully a short distance away with perfect ease, folding his arms and regarding the group ruefully. The tessan in his hand gleamed as it caught some of the moonbeams from the sky, the night wind playing with his long black hair.

"Who _are_ you?" Nuriko demanded, taking a step closer to the foot of the huge chunk of rock, bracelets about his wrists gleaming. "What do you want from us?"

Yuan smiled. "It is not a matter of what _I_ want. I am only here to test you. And as for _who_ I am…" His topaz eyes moved to connect with Chihiro's wide, frightened ones. "I am not so much a stranger as all of you seem to believe." At that moment, the wind increased for only a moment and loosened some of his hair, which had been tightly pulled back into the long ponytail that rippled out from behind.

For a moment, Chihiro could not move. After a couple more moments, she found that she had been holding her breath – and realized that everyone else had been doing the same thing.

Tasuki's eyebrows narrowed in disbelief. "No way… It's…me?"

"No, not quite," supplied their enemy with a curt laugh. "I am most definitely _not_ you. As ya can see," his accent changed, becoming thicker and molding into an exact replica of Tasuki's voice. "Both of us have what'cha might call distinguishin' traits ta identify ourselves by…" A roguish grin passed over his face, revealing a set of white fangs. "Yet, I'm th' very image of you. Confusin' as hell, ain't it?"

"You are Tasuki, but you aren't?" Chiriko thought aloud.

"Quit toying with us! Just get down here and fight, coward!" Tamahome shouted up to him, the 'oni' glowing crimson on his forehead.

The dark one shook his head, the clicking of his tongue coupled with a few mock-remorseful headshakes. "Pathetic fools…the answer is staring you right in the face, yet you cannot grasp it. I am not simply an illusion or a manifestation of the mind. I am real flesh and blood, just as you are. But I serve as…shall we say…a reflection of all that Tasuki is not. I am called Yuan. You might say that I am his shadow."

"His shadow?" Chiriko's young face tightened in frustration.

"Do you still not understand? Suzaku Seishi certainly are thick. And here I thought stupidity was only abundant in one of you. I guess intelligence is something I beat all of you on." Sighing, he lifted his metal fan, arm swinging it about in a circular motion and extending it toward s the group below. He stared coolly at his many targets, concentrating his power and bringing it forth in two words: "Rekka Shin'en!"

A spiral of ghostly-colored fire erupted out of the cool steel and swept down upon his target. Chihiro, eyes round as saucers, cried out a desperate warning, "Tasuki!"

Tasuki saw the attack as well and avoided it easily enough. The spell struck the ground, flames roaring and crackling as they seared an ugly black hole in the earth. Yuan made a gesture with his free hand, and the spiraling pyre of death suddenly split into several twisting, winding columns of silvery flames that shot out in multiple directions. Tasuki's eyes fearfully turned to his friends, but his worry soon subsided. Chichiri had thrown up a magical shield around the group of warriors, deflecting the deadly flames.

Although protected, everyone within the barrier felt the unpleasant heat searing over them. The symbol on Chichiri's knee lit up as he strengthened the magic to keep the flames at bay. If Yuan was like Tasuki, but not, would that mean he also possessed Tasuki's level of strength and weakness, or did he excel above them?

When the current of black flames ended, Chichiri carefully released his grip on the shield, looking about intently for any sign of their enemy as the rest of the Suzaku Seven cast astonished glances at one another. Yuan had used the same spell as Tasuki!

The masked warrior's eyebrows knotted together. "He's still here. But where?" He did not have to wait long for the answer.

"I am the very opposite of you," a voice somewhere above them said, directing his words more at Tasuki than at the rest of the group. "However, our talents appear to be evenly matched. As I expected. As I expect of all of you." There was a pause before he added, "You'll be pleased to know I am not the only one, I'm sure."

"There are others no da?" Chichiri interjected, still maintaining the shield around him and his companions.

"No, I'm lying," Yuan answered with intense sarcasm. "There _are_ seven of us all together, one for each of you standing here who serves Suzaku." He sighed. "Observing what you are made of will suffice for now. I must get back. The next time we meet, we fight for real." At this, his voice began to fade. "And who knows? Maybe next time I will bring one of my companions along with me. They are all looking forward to becoming acquainted with their lighter selves." Then he was gone.

Waiting an extra moment to make sure the danger had passed, Chichiri released his grip on the barrier and let it fade into nothing. The moment the protective shell of magic vanished, Chihiro was running over to Tasuki, nearly barreling into him before she could stop. "Tasuki, you're okay, ne? You didn't get hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," the redhead grumbled in reply, alternating hands with the tessan before putting it away. Fists clenching at his sides, Tasuki still glowered at the treetops where Yuan had disappeared. "That cocky pansy-assed son of a …"

"Is everyone alright no da?" The general reply was a solid "mm" from all.

"None of us would be all right if it wasn't for that barrier of yours," Shuro spoke up, drowning out Tasuki's long string of curses. "I sensed his intent, but I didn't get the opportunity to voice it out loud before he attacked."

Nuriko heaved a small sigh. "Then please get faster," he laughed. "I really hate surprises in situations like that." His armbands reverted back to their original bracelets, a puzzled, terrified expression etched across his face. "There's another one of me wherever _he_ comes from?"

"Yeah, how messed up is that?" Toroki drawled, using his special fazing ability to avoid a killer knuckle-punch aimed at his head.

"Not only you, Nuriko, but all of us," Hotohori added, lowering the holy sword and allowing his body to relax again. "According to Yuan, they are just as strong as the rest of us."

Toroki spoke up once more as he slid the two daggers back into place at his side, assured that the violet-haired warrior would cause him no harm for the moment. Unless provoked. "Tell me about it. We gotta be careful from here on in. I mean, after discovering there's another girly-looking man like you running around…Yeow!" The Byakko warrior activated his ability just as a rock the size of his upper body was hurled at him full force. "I was just saying!"

"Grow up," the violet-haired warrior snapped in a huff, glaring doom in his general direction.

"I have. I'm way older than any of _you_."

Tamahome folded his arms in front of him, closing one eye cynically. "You certainly don't act like it."

Toroki whirled on him. "Hey, know what? Go peel a banana with your foot, that's a funny trick!" A few snickers rose up from the group at this comment, since Tamahome's previous form had been a monkey.

But though they seemed jovial on the outside, inside they were still thrown off balance from the latest news from their enemy. Doubles of themselves, just as strong and similar in appearance yet completely set on meeting their other selves just to kill them?

Shuro's head lowered in thought. "Why couldn't I get inside his mind?" he muttered to no one.

xXxXx

Dark forms stood gathered about their Lady, waiting when Yuan reappeared in their midst in the same stance in which he had left the Suzaku. He grinned, turning to the shrouded throne and bowing to one knee. "I did as you requested of me, Lady."

"Good, Yuan. I was watching you the entire time to make sure you didn't break your promise to me. You came very close." By the tone in her voice, consequences might have been dire if he chose to do other than he was commanded, had she been talking to someone else. She spoke with a honeyed tone that one might have used when speaking to a small child. Yuan was the Lady's favorite. No real harm would be wrought upon him even if he had disrespected his orders.

He bowed lower. "You should never doubt any promise I make to you."

Red eyes like ginger followed his movements, gleaming mischievously. "Indeed."

Across the room, Jiang listened to the conversation as best he could over the sound of his own heavy breathing. A cold sweat lined his brow from the difficult barrier he cast and held for such a long period of time in order to prevent any possible harm to Yuan—his Lady's order—in addition to the continual surge of dark energy flowing through him, given by the Lady. Strength waning, he swayed on his feet and might have collapsed but for the set of arms that caught hold of him, holding him steady. He glanced down wearily at the young woman at his side, shooting her a grateful smile while trying unsuccessfully to maintain his balance.

The small amount of movement caught her attention. "Li Wei," their Lady addressed the young woman among her Stars, "Could you help Jiang back to his room? I fear I might have…exhausted his help for the time being."

"I don't need—" A dangerous glare cut off the dark sorcerer's words. He quietly bowed his head and said nothing more. Li Wei performed a courteous head bow.

"Right away, Mistress." The two faded away from the darkness, leaving only Yuan, the Lady, and the others standing in shadow.

"They seem very strong. Stronger than I might have imagined." She casually reclined where she sat, leaning her head onto the back of a slender, pale hand while a look of intrigue shadowed her delicate features. "Even those other two the Suzaku took with them. And not just in physical strength. They seem tightly bonded to one another."

"They are," Yuan confirmed. "My light and I were evenly matched, I think." The dark seishi arranged his words with care before speaking to his Lady. "You ordered me not to harm any of them. So, because I respect and serve you so well, I carried out your commands. However, the limitations…"

"I understand. You will get your chance to battle those fools. I will not ask you to hold back the next time I send you."

"Yes, Mistress." Yuan bowed sincerely, but the look of excitement burning in those eyes was hard to miss.

"When will we get to engage them?" A voice from the darkness spoke up for the first time. "My light looks like a wuss to me. And all the legends in the land tell of him being the strongest of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi. I think I might enjoy crushing him into the ground."

"I would like to ascertain their level of strength, in a more cerebral setting," a younger voice stated.

Qiang shook his head in the affirmative. "A fight I'd like to see would be Jiang and that wimpy sorcerer the Suzaku has among them. Li Wei knows her way in a fight, too. But it would be interesting to see what you'd cook up, Ru." The other two standing there nodded their silent agreement.

Their companion in the darkness responded with an intelligent, pleased giggle. "You will. Whenever our Lady wishes to send me."

"Eventually, I will send all of you to them," she promised. "They must be introduced to your different strengths slowly. I fear too swift of an introduction may desensitize them from the surprise. It shall be fun indeed." The lady heaved a tired sigh. "But for now, leave us. I wish to be alone."

The others knew well enough just whom she meant by 'us.' Her followers bowed respectfully and, like the first two, vanished and left her and her favorite star, as she called him, alone together.

She beckoned Yuan forward and he came to her side. Yuan could see by her changed countenance that something was bothering her. He came to her, waited for her to speak, as was always the general habit. Eventually when she did meet his eyes, there was something in them he had not seen for a long while. "What is troubling you?"

Her voice was hard and cold. "Please, just…don't speak to me. Dealing with talking animals this afternoon and then having to watch you, my dearest star, playing with those fools…it has been demanding of me. I _need_ comfort."

"As you wish." His arms encircled her slender form and drew her close. She smiled contentedly, resting her head against his chest.

"I am not sending you out to them so soon. The others need a chance to have at them."

"And who will it be?" His tone had lost its initial softness, but he dared not let his disappointment show too much.

The Lady sighed. "Oh, we shall see. Later. Just stay with me." She closed her eyes against his chest, knowing he would obey her command.

xXxXx

The Suzaku party traveled as far as they could for the evening, and then decided to settle down for the night. At Chiriko's advice, they found a nice spot in the surrounding forests beneath Taikyoku that would conceal them from any unwanted eyes as well as protect them from the elements, since it had been storming on a regular basis these past few days. While the sky didn't appear threatening, a little precaution never hurt anyone.

They had not bothered to look at first, but when the Oracle had transported them from her palace, she also had the Nyan Nyans re-supply them for the journey to Kutou for the Dragon's Eye, which none of them were looking forward to making. Within these packs contained everything they would need, but right now all they wanted were the blankets and a bit of sleep.

Toroki took first watch. He was not all that keen on shutting his eyes this night, not after so many dreams and trains of thought always leading him to a certain individual from his past. Decades, and the pain was still there, almost fresh. Just temporarily numbed. So he was quick to offer himself for first watch so that they would have at least a warning if the Seiryuu or that Yuan character decided to visit them again. Which did not seem likely, according to the monk, though Toroki suspected he'd only said that to ease the others' fears.

His green eyes wandered over to the group, watching their interactions with each other and again found himself slightly envious of the bonds they seemed to share. The way they exchanged smiles or kind words, helping their comrades set things up for the night hours ahead. Despondently, Toroki reached into a little pack he always kept with him and found some decent-looking fruit at the bottom, which he nibbled on, taking position on a tree stump on the edge of their camp. 'This is gonna be a long night. I know they said they'd all take turns, but I don't feel like sleepin'.' Quiet giggles and murmurs over his shoulder informed him that at least some people were happy this evening, and, since _he_ certainly couldn't share in that sentiment, it only made him frown more and bite more heavily into his stolen fruit. 'It's gonna be a _real_ long night.'

"Bet you wish you were still a dog, ne, Tasuki-chan?" Toroki heard Nuriko remark, watching as he shoved the startled redhead aside hard enough that he rolled a bit before stopping a short distance away, spreading out his own blanket and taking a spot alongside Chihiro. "That way you two could still sleep together and cuddle up nice and cozy…" To this statement, the 'willow' seishi earned a blush from both miko and fellow warrior. "So I was right?"

Already Tasuki was reaching for his tessan. "Nuriko…" he growled dangerously, "I'm gonna _kill_ you…"

"No, don't do that!" Chihiro was already hanging from the redhead's arm to keep him from drawing the weapon. "I'm sure Nuriko was only kidding…ne?"

Nuriko nodded innocently, but Tasuki could tell from the devilish sparkle in those mauve-colored eyes that he felt just the opposite. With a huff, he stormed to the farthest end of camp and plopped down near Tamahome, rolling so his back faced them.

Chichiri shook his head at their familiar, childish antics. "Just like old times no da," he murmured to himself, but Toroki didn't miss the frown that passed over his face. "If only the circumstances weren't so dire…" Switching back to reality and smiling through his mask, he turned to the youngest member of their traveling party. "Chiriko, how about you move further in no da?" He suggested, and helped the boy move and lie out his blankets again in a different spot. They would be sleeping in such a way that should something arise, those most at risk or less likely to fight would be safely tucked in a tight circle of protection.

Nuriko shrugged, speaking in Tasuki's direction just to see if he could provoke the younger warrior more. "I mean, sure, some people wear multiple layers or wrap themselves in blankets on nights like these. Others just have sex."

The entire group sweatdropped at the statement, even more so when Tasuki lifted his right hand and left only his middle finger extended. Mitsukake, covering Chiriko's ears, was unable to also shield the boy's eyes from the obscene gesture.

Tamahome nudged Tasuki with his foot from where he lay, using his arm as a pillow. "Now you know what I endured when Miaka was around," he joked. The redhead just shrugged, still remaining with his back towards him. Tamahome was silent a moment, then sighed, lowering his voice. "Nuriko wasn't too far from the truth, was he?" Tasuki's shoulders tensed, confirming his suspicions. "Thought so. See you in the morning." With that, he too rolled over, facing the opposite direction.

"If ya find yerself still breathin' by then," a very grouchy, very embarrassed Tasuki grumbled into his blanket.

It did not take long for everyone else to fall to sleep, exhausted as they were. They needed the strength to prepare for the long route into Kutou, which would be fairly dangerous once they walked through the border checkpoint. True, Kutou was no longer the militaristic, power-hungry place it had been before the war – not openly, anyway. However, it was still a dangerous nation and no one was happy to make the trip, but they knew they needed to find this Dragon's Eye to stop to the approaching darkness, prevent it from engulfing the land, and if that meant venturing into Kutou, then they would have to do just that.

Toroki was supposed to wake Nuriko for his turn at the watch two hours before whatever time it was now, but what the hell, he didn't need sleep. Sleep only brought up bad memories, and who needed those? However, guard duty was boring the stuffing out of the Byakko warrior. All you did was sit, listen, and stare into the darkness around you. Not much fun at all, especially since there appeared to be no real danger nearby. Toroki needed something to do, yet everything he thought of half a second later he instantly put down, as all the possible activities would distract from his current duty.

'Wait just a minute,' he thought. 'Why do I have to stay here? Why should I look out for these guys? More importantly, why the hell am I even here in the first place?' Toroki frowned. He didn't owe these guys anything, as far as he was concerned, and unless his sharp ears misunderstood everything they'd said so far, which was rarely possible, they were heading into Kutou, a _dangerous_ place, for some worthless treasure. What was it—the Dragon's Nose? —something like that. Not only that, but before they were being followed by rabid animals that would pop up and attack them out of nowhere. Now there were these creepy look-alikes that were going to show up from time to time at random and give them trouble, and they all thought he would just happily plod along and help them take out the bad guys?

But Toroki had taken no vows to help in their fight. He hadn't even wanted to go with them to Taikyoku, but things just sort of happened that way. And now the old hag was making him go along to protect the priestess. He didn't really see the need for that, though. What, Chihiro had seven actual guardians, and with Shuro – 'Guess it's Namame now,' Toroki mentally corrected himself – coming along, for whatever reason, made nine. So why did they need him?

"Huh," he mused out loud. "Guess they don't after all." The Byakko warrior rested his head in his hands, eyeing the sleeping group quietly. Maybe he would only tag along for a short while, and then slip away when no one was looking. If they didn't like it, that was just too damn bad. And as for the Oracle, she could shrivel up into a dried prune for all he cared. After all, she was partly responsible for ruining his life, her and Byakko. He hated both of them in their due measures.

Mind finally made up about this decision, a devilish light flickered in his cat-like eyes, pupils narrowing into thin slits as his head once again turned in the direction of the sleeping group, coming to rest on a certain individual. The grin on his face only grew wider. Oh, but why hadn't he thought of this delightful idea before?

Slowly, Toroki stood up and activated his seishi ability, which would help block all sound of his approach for what he was about to do. None the less, he tiptoed to where Chiriko lay nestled in his blankets in soundless slumber, head resting on his small knapsack for a pillow. Toroki held his breath as he knelt down, carefully extending his hand and reached through the knapsack material, relying on his sense of touch to locate the object he sought. His movements were slight, however, not wanting to wake the boy up because then his fun would be blown. He would be right back to where he stared: bored as hell and brooding.

A victorious grin broke over his face as his fingers at last touched the wanted objects within the pack. Toroki's hand clenched around the item, and he slowly slid his prize away, eyes never once leaving the sleeping boy's face. Chiriko didn't even stir. Looking down in his hands, Toroki held a thin-tipped paintbrush and a small well of black ink. He had seen Chiriko fiddling with them earlier on a piece of parchment, discussing the details of the scroll with Chichiri and Hotohori before going to sleep. Back then, Toroki hadn't cared; he was preparing himself for perpetual boredom for the duration of the night. But that was hours ago. Now that he had the bottle of ink and the brush, he was going to put them to some good use and personal enjoyment at another's expense.

Slinking silently through the grass, the Byakko warrior crept up to the sleeping form of Tamahome, first checking to make sure his prey was fully asleep. It wouldn't due to have him wake up before he finished his little trick. Uncorking the bottle as quietly as possible, he dipped the bristle into the dark liquid, swiping it on the lip of the bottle to wipe away any excess ink. Then, holding his breath, he lowered the wet brush down to Tamahome's face, poking him with it experimentally. The Suzaku warrior remained deep in sleep, clueless of the other's actions. This encouraged Toroki to become bolder, and he chanced a long brush stroke along the 'oni' warrior's cheek. Still, Tamahome did not awaken. Toroki fought off excited snickers as he gently glided the brush over different areas of his face.

He was having so much fun thinking about how infuriated Tamahome would be when he woke up – and what he might do if he ever discovered the culprit's identity – that he almost missed the two, new life forces as they drew closer to the camp. Almost.

Toroki pulled back, prank forgotten for the time being and listened, green eyes squinting into the darkness. Where his eyes could not see, his heightened senses as a celestial warrior took over. There were definitely two individuals headed their way. He did not know if the approaching persons were aware of the group's presence or not. Setting down the bottle of ink and brush, he lay down and pretended to sleep, listening all the while, waiting to see who would appear from the trees when a shadow passed over the ground from the sky above. Without making too much movement, Toroki glanced up to see nothing but the stars glittering back at him in the night sky. He frowned. 'Am I losin' my touch, or just my mind?'

Rustling caught his attention from some bushes a little in front of him and, utilizing his ability, he slipped further into the ground, head peeking out from beneath Tamahome's blanket as he watched and waited. 'Maybe it's one-a them dark warriors again, or those psychopath Seiryuu freaks,' he thought. 'Either way, there's no way I can wake everyone up now. I'll have to deal with it myself.' That final thought made him grin in delight. At last his perpetual boredom would be at an end!

Two forms slipped through the trees into the clearing, both measuring the same height. Toroki squinted, vision having to adjust to the darkness before he understood the reason: They were identical twins. Both had dirty blonde, almost brown hair, which was held back by a dark headband. The one, seemingly surer of the two, had a flute tucked into the dark sash at his waist while the other had an unusual weapon dangling from his. The two soon spotted the sleeping group. The one with the dangly weapon leaned into his twin and seemed to whisper something, but what it was Toroki could not hear. What were those two here for anyway? Should he warn the others right away, or wait a moment? He was still at indecision when he heard a faint jingle coming from the darkness behind the twin boys. They must have too, for they gave a start and whirled around, expecting to find someone there but instead found themselves staring into darkness.

"What are the two of you doing here no da?" A calm, firm voice asked, appearing out of nowhere into the starlight and startling the pair once more. Smiling mask in place, Chichiri stared the two down, ringed staff held upright next to his body as he placed himself between the brothers and his sleeping companions. "More importantly, _why_ are you here?"

The twin with the dangly weapon made a strange gesture with his right hand and the long cord and two metal orbs hanging around his waist unknotted itself and seemed to come to life, metal objects buzzing as they began spinning dangerously before him. The one with the flute spun around on his twin. "Suboshi, don't—" He stopped, however, when something sharp pressed firmly into his back between his shoulder blades.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Toroki hissed as he rose up out of the ground behind the flute-twin like an apparition, directing his words to the one called Suboshi. "Unless you don't wanna be a twin anymore." To prove his point, he applied a little more pressure to the dagger tip into the unnamed twin's back, making him wince. "Let's put those ball-thingies down, ne?" He glanced over in Chichiri's direction. "Why didn'cha tell me we were gonna have guests? I would-a helped make 'em feel more welcome."

The monk regarded the Byakko warrior with cool amusement. "I didn't want to interrupt your fun with Tamahome no da."

"Heh, how nice of ya," Toroki said with a snigger, turning his attention back to Suboshi. "Hey, kid, wanna put those things down? My offer from earlier won't hold much longer."

"Aniki…" Suboshi stood tense half a second longer, metal orbs of the ryuuseisui still spinning menacingly.

"Suboshi, it's alright," the one with the flute spoke up, trying to ignore the sharp pain poking into his back. "They won't hurt us. The Suzaku Seven aren't like Nakago and the rest of them."

Suboshi hesitated a moment longer, then did as his twin requested.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Toroki asked, voice slightly laced with sarcasm. "Now how about tossing me that toy of yours."

"He could still use it even if you took it no da," Chichiri informed him, then focused his attention on the twin with the flute. "I'll repeat my question from earlier: What are you doing here with your brother, Amiboshi?"

"I had to get away from Nakago and the others," Amiboshi responded, jerking out of Toroki's hold and casting an irritated glance over his shoulder before turning back to the monk. "I'm tired of the constant fighting. There isn't even a good reason for it this time around. I came here with my brother because we want to help you." Amiboshi looked sincere enough, but none of them missed the cynical muttering that escaped his younger brother as he folded his arms in a huff.

The Byakko warrior snorted. "Help us?" Toroki did not sound like he was buying that at all. "Right, and your little group of friends and your brother here nearly did us in on several occasions. But I guess that was just to toughen us up, ne?"

"We had no choice!" the older twin protested. "My brother and I took a chance and escaped tonight! We came to warn you!"

"Hah! Warn us about what?" Toroki still didn't look at all convinced, but Chichiri waited patiently for Amiboshi to explain.

"Nakago's joined alliances with the woman responsible for consuming the land up north!"

Chichiri's half-circle eyebrows shot up in surprise while Toroki blurted out, "Whoa, wait! What's this about?"

Amiboshi took a deep breath before he explained.

xXxXx

_After a time the silver vixen stopped in her tracks, allowing the hawk on her back to hop off. The dove landed on the ground shortly after, delicately folding its wings. A couple feet away, the wild dog heatedly lowered his body to the ground with a dull thud just as a brightly colored spider skittered past him. The dog withdrew from its presence distastefully._

_"Gauging your reactions tells me we've failed." The group gave a small start at the familiar voice, watching as a lithe form slithered out of the cover of bushes. Icy blue eyes portrayed their disappointment more vividly than any words he could have spoken. "What happened this time?"_

_"It was Taiitsukun," the silver she-fox answered, soft, gray muzzle curling back a little in frustration. "She whisked them all away to her palace."_

_Amiboshi's soft coo caught everyone's attention. "But before that, there was this awful shriek that seemed to beat us into the ground. I don't know where it could have come from." The dove's head lowered to its breast in a contemplative manner. "It was that sound that freed them from Tomo's web, and then Taiitsukun collected the Suzaku seven and took them away."_

_The spider twitched with agitation. "Not only that, but there are two other warriors with them. I sensed Celestial power from them both, one who serves Byakko, and the other Genbu." An angry sneer twisted Tomo's voice as he uttered the name of the tortoise-god. "Both were human and very much in tune with their powers."_

_"What do we do now?" Suboshi asked, ruffling his feathers. "Do we just wait for them to leave Taikyoku and attack then? Or—"_

_"Unless you have any relatively intelligent ideas, refrain from speaking again," Nakago's cold-as-steel voice interrupted. "I grow tired of that witch's constant meddling in our affairs with the Suzaku Seven. That leaves us to…" _

_A dark chanting rose up from the forest around them, hissing low at some parts and ascending to almost urgent, high notes as it whispered about them. The mist seemed to respond to the voice, curving and taking shape, reaching out to the unsuspecting animals that stood frozen, unable to do anything but watch as the change began to take place. Even so, the chanting did not let up until at last the transformations were complete. Seconds later all of them were back to human form and suitably clothed._

_With a human hand, an astonished Amiboshi slid his polished wooden flute from his belt. A glance at his brother, and another to the rest of the Seiryuu Seven, led him to discover that they were just as surprised over this new development. He opened his mouth to speak, but never got the chance. A figure robed in white, a long cowl covering most of her fair face, appeared within their midst. Even Nakago gave a small start. Two other forms garbed in much darker colors flanked her to the left and right; their faces, unhooded, were bathed in light as they came forth. As the light moved over one face in particular, Suboshi reacted, weapon buzzing at his waist long before he realized the Meteor Bells were back in his possession._

_"Be at ease, Suboshi of the Seiryuu Seven," the young woman spoke, touching a hand to the bicep of the handsome young man at her side. "This is not the Celestial warrior Tamahome. Qiang is my servant. You need not fear him." The way the dark doppelganger exchanged glances with Suboshi, however, suggested otherwise. His eyes also traveled over to the only female member of the Seiryuu group, grinning in an unmistakably flirtatious manner. Soi stared back, a little confused as well as intrigued._

_"The one on my left is Xing, and it is likewise for him. I trust you can identify who his double is in your own time."_

_"Do you have any real purpose appearing here?" Nakago bluntly inquired, piercing blue eyes clear of any detectable emotion._

_The young woman nodded to his less than polite question. "The Suzaku Seven are searching for an ornament called the Dragon's Eye. It is imperative that they do not find it."_

_"What has that to do with us?"_

_"Shut it, spider-boy," the one called Qiang directed these words at Tomo, who merely glared back._

_The woman's fingers laced together beneath the folds of her white sleeves. "I need you to be the ones to find it first, or take it from them by force if it comes to that. With it, they can summon Suzaku and that will be the end of my reign here." Suboshi decided not to mention that she didn't look much like royalty. "In return, I shall bestow you with further abilities so that you may seek your revenge against the Suzaku Seven."_

_Nakago smiled humorlessly, hand lifting and reaching out to them. A faint, blue glow pulsed at his fingertips threateningly. "We are not interested."_

_Before he could even release the blast, the two dark-cloaked figures were standing guardedly in front of their charge. Faster than anyone could detect, the one called Xing had his sword drawn and held in a defensive stance while at his shoulder, a swirling indigo, almost black energy gathered between Qiang's cupped hands. A fierce fire shown in their topaz eyes as they connected with the cold blue ones of Seiryuu's most powerful warrior. The others stood by, tense, waiting to see what would happen._

_The young woman looked completely unfazed by the whole thing. "I don't think you understand. I've given you back your bodies in order to better deal with your enemies as well as serve my purposes, and now you're going to leave me empty-handed in return?" She shook her head, a small laugh passing over her lips. "No, I don't believe you will. You are going to go after them and obtain the Dragon's Eye for me and destroy them in whatever order seems best to you." Her voice was so void of emotion and reminded Amiboshi so much of Nakago that he had to fight down a shiver. Sensing his unrest, Suboshi drew a little closer to his twin. "You may kill them all, I don't care. But leave the priestess to my warriors and me to handle." The fake smile from before resurfaced. "I trust we have an understanding, Nakago-san?"_

xXxXx

"Nakago made a deal with her?" Chichiri asked when Amiboshi had finished. "I wouldn't expect him to follow orders from anyone."

Amiboshi nodded. "I couldn't sit by and do nothing after everything else I heard them discuss, plans of attacking you and your friends…or join them!" The mere thought horrified him. "I know there was animosity between us once as well as distrust after I…" his face darkened at the memory, "betrayed you at the summoning of Suzaku all those years ago… and there still might be now. But I hated the useless fighting then as I do now, and that woman needs to be stopped. If she has her way, this entire world will be plunged into darkness. Please, let me—let _us_ help you."

"How do you know all the details about this mess?" Toroki spoke up for the first time in a while. "You must've stayed a real long time to know every detail through and through like that…how do we know you're not playin' us for fools? An' why bring your brother with ya since he obviously doesn't share your view on things?"

Amiboshi's blue eyes narrowed angrily. "I couldn't leave him behind with…with _them_!" he spat out the last word in disgust. "Soi is all right, I think, but the others, Nakago, Tomo, Ashitare…they can't be trusted. I just… I get this feeling that Nakago wouldn't hesitate to send us all to our deaths, if only to further his own plans. From what I've heard from some of the others, I think he might've done just that. And the thought of my brother _alone_ with those people…!" He suppressed a shudder at the idea. "Anyway, Suboshi can be trusted. He agrees with me on this." Amiboshi offered the monk a small smile. "He's just having a hard time thinking of you guys as his allies, is all."

"I don't believe him," Toroki stated right off the bat. "Let's just kick their sorry ketsu an' throw 'em out, ne, Chichiri?" The Byakko warrior rubbed his hands together in preparation for the anticipated battle, but stopped when he saw that the seishi monk had not moved to assist him. "Yo, Chichiri! Hello?" Was it possible for monks to just randomly fall into trances flat on their feet? Or maybe the guy was going deaf and just needed him to repeat everything a little louder. He ripped two blades out from beneath his sleeves and twirled them expertly in his hands. "Okay, well, while you decide which nifty little spell to use, I'm gonna go to town with my knives, okay?"

"Wait no da." Chichiri's voice stopped Toroki in his tracks. For a long time, the Suzaku seishi simply regarded the brothers with that searching look of his, mahogany eye occasionally straying over to his still-sleeping companions. Eventually, he sighed. "…I want to believe you. No, I think I already might. But I'm afraid there might be too much dividing us already."

He slipped off his mask, shooting a meaningful glance at Suboshi. "If I remember correctly, _you_ were the one responsible for the massacre of Tamahome's family in our previous lives." Both brothers glanced down, ashamed at the memory, but Chichiri continued, knowing he couldn't spare the twins any sympathy right now. "I'm not sure if Tamahome would be willing to forgive that. You also haven't been kind to him in this life – he sustained some pretty harsh wounds from your talons no da. And _everyone _remembers _those _battles. Working with you, or even just being in your presence… My primary concern right now is protecting my brother warriors no da. The upcoming ordeals are going to test all of them, more than any of us can imagine, I suspect, and I don't want to put even more stress on their shoulders." The monk closed his eye for a moment, nodding resolutely before meeting the brothers' gaze again. "I'm sorry to have to say this, but I think it would be best if the two of you leave before the others wake up no da."

"At last, he speaks!" Toroki sarcastically muttered under his breath. He grinned up at the twins, "Well, you heard the man. Go on, get lost now."

xXxXx

"Jealous you haven't left the barrier yet?" A voice queried from behind, making Li Wei jump in surprise. Whirling about she offered the one responsible a nasty glare, but he just laughed. "No worries, I haven't met my lighter self yet. I just served as an escort for Her Preciousness to hide behind while we talked to the Seiryuu Seven. I wasn't too thrilled to be going and neither was Xing." His female associate remained silent, so he kept talking. "In fact I think he was downright bored the entire time, but he's better at hiding things like that than I am. I think he's just itching to use that sword of his on a real opponent."

"And did you realize, Qiang, that I really don't care?" she snapped, spinning away and causing the long, dark braid to whip over her shoulder.

Qiang chuckled at this, throwing his hands in air. "Uh-oh, the rose has thorns! What _is_ bothering you anyway?"

"None of your business," she shot back a little too quickly.

"Are you angry because you haven't been picked yet?"

"I _said_ it was none of your business!" Li Wei hissed.

"Chao, Ru and Jiang haven't been picked, and you don't hear them bitching about it." Qiang paused, pondering over this statement a moment before adding, "Actually, Jiang bitches a lot about how he's the strongest and how She still favors Yuan anyway…"

"I don't care, just go away!" The female warrior leapt up and began heatedly stalking away.

A slow smile grew over Qiang's face as he quietly added, "Or are you just pissy because She's always hanging off of him and you can't even get near him?"

Abruptly stopping in her tracks, Li Wei spun around to face her fellow warrior, a fierce fire raging in her eyes. "Shut up," she hissed in warning. "I can punch a hole through a solid brick wall and I could just as well use your head as a battering ram. Don't even try mocking _me_."

He sighed, shaking his head in dismay. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Qiang hopped up, stretching casually. "See, there's your whole problem right there. Maybe if you weren't so cold, you might turn a few heads."

Li Wei could not keep herself from laughing, though it contained anything but delight. "Please. You act as if you know the answers to _all_ my problems."

"In most cases, I think I might, actually," he answered back, flashing her a charming smile that only earned him another cold glare. Discouraged, Qiang heaved another sigh. "Oh well, so much for building confidence in someone." With that, he turned and began walking away. Li Wei glared at his back until she thought she would burn a whole straight through his head.

'That over-arrogant, pompous…' she huffed, stringing along a few other words after it to satisfy her own anger and annoyance. Sometimes she truly detested all of them, even Yuan, as highly as she thought of him, for the fact that he rarely noticed her. On her own once more, she fell to wondering briefly when it would be her turn to confront her Light. What would it be like? Would their Mistress send her alone or with a companion? 'If it's Qiang, I'd sooner hang myself,' Li Wei decided, wrinkling her nose distastefully.

A soft chuckle made her look up, her topaz eyes meeting with a pair the same color but with a softer quality to their sparkle. "Xing," she greeted, smiling.

"Going to sneeze?" he asked. His tone sounded mildly amused but, somehow, he also managed to seem disinterested, almost bored, by his fellow warrior.

Li Wei blinked. "Huh? Oh, no, I was just…thinking of something." She coughed. "Um, where are you headed?"

"To see Her," he said, voice showing a bit more enthusiasm now that the topic had switched over to him. The excitement dancing in his eyes was hard to miss. "Apparently my turn has come at last."

"Oh? Who is going with you?"

He shrugged. "What does it matter so long as my Light is there? If you will excuse me…" Xing brushed past her to get a move on his assignment. "If you are so worried that you will be sent with Qiang, know that I do share your grievance. He does tend to be a bit of a show-off. But then again, so does Yuan."

xXxXx

"'Get lost?'" Amiboshi repeated, eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Wow, you're good at mimicking what other people say," Toroki drawled.

The older twin ignored him. "But…but what I'm telling you is the truth!"

"I'm not saying you're lying," Chichiri corrected. "I'm actually grateful for what you've told us no da. I just don't think things would run smoothly if the two of you came along. Your brother…"

"I can't just go with you and leave Suboshi behind!" Amiboshi protested.

"I'm not suggesting you do," Chichiri calmly replied once more in an attempt to shush the older Seiryuu twin, glancing tentatively towards his sleeping companions. It was a miracle none of them had awoken yet from the sounds of their voices. "But I am suggesting that it may be best if we go our separate ways."

"You're not getting it," Suboshi spoke up for the first time in the conversation. "Before that woman left, she told us that the Dragon's Eye would be easier to find because we're of Seiryuu," he explained. "Because our guardian-god _is_ a dragon."

"Oh wow," Toroki said, pretending to be astonished as his hands cupped over his cheeks. "He really can speak for himself when he wants, and sound quite intelligent in the process. Aww…"

Suboshi glowered in his direction. "The point is, you send us away and you send away any advantage you might have over Nakago finding it first. And if he gets hold of it, it will be really difficult to take back."

A chilly gust of wind swept over them all. Chichiri stood at indecision, trying to weigh out the possibilities and doubts in his mind and bring about a balance. It might be true that with the twins, or even just one of them, they might have an advantage and wind up locating the Dragon's Eye well before the Seiryuu Seven, yet he could not simply overlook the hostility between Tamahome and Suboshi.

"Chichiri?" The monk turned at the sound of his name, automatically slipping his mask back on as Nuriko sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Didn't you just feel that? Tonight definitely started out warmer than…" His words ended, catching sight of the twins. "Wh-what are they…?"

"Nuriko…" Any attempts Chichiri made to get the younger seishi to quiet his voice did no good. In seconds he heard other voices stirring from their slumber.

"Nuriko? What's…" Chihiro's eyes widened, catching sight of the strangers among them. "Ano…" She hesitated, unsure how to react.

Hearing their priestess acted like a chain reaction, and the other warriors decided to get up as well. Tasuki was the last to notice the twins, yawning widely as he spoke. "Nani? 'Zit mornin' already?" He peeked out from one of his golden eyes and at last spotted the brothers; he froze in his position, all traces of sleep vanishing from his features.

Tamahome was on his feet in an instant, eyes fixed on Suboshi and 'oni' symbol glowing brightly in the early morning light. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Tamahome, matte…" The corners of Chichiri's mouth twitched at the sight of his brother seishi, but he turned quickly back to the brothers, managing to maintain a somber expression on his masked face. He relayed the information he had just received for the benefit of his companions, casting a tiny look of annoyance at Toroki whenever the Byakko warrior chose to butt in to add a few sarcastic remarks.

Hotohori nodded his head thoughtfully, listening. "I see…it would make sense. Their energy, connected to Seiryuu, would give us a better chance of finding the Dragon's Eye first."

"Yeah, I guess we don't really have that connection, Suzaku bein' a bird an' all," Tasuki interjected, comprehension at last dawning in his golden eyes.

"A phoenix, Tasuki." Chiriko corrected, giggling when the redheaded seishi mumbled a 'whatever' under his breath and yawned again.

"Bird, phoenix, both got wings an' feathers, don't they?"

On this particular occasion, Mitsukake took his turn to speak. "Nakago's chances at finding the Dragon's Eye haven't been reduced by much. Don't forget he _is_ very powerful, and no doubt the other Seiryuu Seishi are still with him."

Nuriko nodded. "So we should take advantage of this new leverage and get going before they catch up with…" Turning to look at Tamahome to see how he was taking this, the 'willow' seishi noticed something different about his Celestial brother – something that made him burst into giggles. "T-Tama-chan…your—your face…"

Previously focused on other things, everyone turned inquiringly and either grew very silent, fought back giggles, or – in the case of Tasuki and Nuriko – just burst into outright laughter. Even Ren cracked a smile.

Unnoticed went the disapproving look Suzaku's oldest member sent to Toroki, who brushed it off and watched the upcoming events with undisguised interest. His artwork consisted of a mostly-completed circle around Tamahome's right eye, poorly drawn eyelashes on his opposite cheek, a splotch of black on the tip of his nose, over-whelmingly large lips and a scribbled kanji for 'monkey' inscribed in place of the usual Suzaku character on his forehead.

"What about my face?" Tamahome grumbled, touching his fingers to his left cheek and blinking when they came away covered in wet ink.

He heard Tasuki snickering next to him. "Who did yer make-up, Tama?"

"You did this, didn't you?" Tamahome snapped, fists clenching at his sides.

Tasuki held up his hands defensively. "Not me, I swear…heheh…" The bandit spied the violet-haired seishi. "Why didn'cha tell me ya were gonna prank him t'night?"

"I—I didn't do it," Nuriko answered truthfully with unrelenting giggles, casting what he hoped was an apologetic look at Tamahome. Beside him, Chihiro fought hard to contain her laughter. Thankfully, most of the others were copying her behavior – though they didn't need to press their hands quite as firmly to their lips like _she_ was.

It was hopeless trying to force a confession out of anyone. Tamahome sighed, plopping back down on his sleeping mat. "Never mind, just get me something to clean it off…" Hotohori tossed him a rag and a skin filled with water from his pack.

"Minna? Who removed my brushes and ink from my sack?" Chiriko asked with a curious expression as he carefully took back his possessions, pouring some water on the bristles to cleanse the ink from them.

Toroki folded his hands behind his head and whistled innocently. Chichiri shook his head, sighing.

Luckily, the ink was still wet enough that it came off with some water and a bit of rubbing from a hand towel. Lowering the cloth to his lap, violet eyes once again found Suboshi still staring over at him. His own narrowed in response. "You still didn't answer my question," he said coldly.

"Tamahome, I-" a hand on his shoulder cut off Amiboshi's words. He turned, watching as his twin, face hard and serious, took a step closer to the group. He hurriedly reached out and caught Suboshi's arm to keep him back, but the other jerked free.

"It's okay, Aniki…" Suboshi assured him, moving cautiously closer and closer to the others. "I'm not going to hurt them."

"Yeah, right…" Toroki said, snorting.

"He isn't." Namame spoke up, green character glowing through his shirtsleeve. Maybe this alone was what made Chichiri stay his hand from any action as Suboshi walked past him, sapphire eyes locked on Tamahome, who stared back undaunted. Chihiro and the others glanced at one another uneasily, watching as the distance between the two closed. Tamahome stood up to meet him, and it was just as he did this that Suboshi fell to his knees, touching his hands and even his forehead all the way to the ground.

"Gomen nasai!" he cried, eyes on the ground. Then, quieter this time, "Gomen nasai. I…I know there's no excuse for the actions in my previous life. I know that now. I live with those sins every day, with their terrified eyes staring back at me, and I can't find a good reason for what I did. So I don't expect you to find one, either." His hand gripped at the grass nervously. "But that's not important right now. This isn't about what happened before. It's about this Dragon's Eye, right? About saving the world from disaster, right? My brother and I can help you. We want to help you. Both of us. I don't… the fires from my village, from before…" his head shot up, and their gazes met across the darkness, "I don't want to see them engulf the rest of this world, too! So, please. You don't have to forgive me. You don't even have to trust me. But I'm begging you to trust my brother. Let us help you."

A shocked silence followed, sets of eyes traveling back and forth between Tamahome, fists clenched at his sides, and Suboshi, still on his knees, waiting. Namame squinted at the pair curiously, symbol glowing a soft green in the moonlight.

After what seemed to the others like hours, Tamahome took a deep breath and slowly let it out in a long sigh. He folded his arms over his chest and glanced away to the side, hesitating a bit before muttering, "Well, we don't exactly have a choice, now do we?"

Only then did Suboshi risk leaving his bow, cautiously coming to his feet. After another long pause, he offered a hand, not in friendship, but as if to seal the pact just established between them. A bit reluctantly, and after a pause just as long, Tamahome reached out and grasped his former enemy's hand. They shook once, then let their grips relax and release.

xXxXx

"Li Wei, there you are," a familiar voice made the young woman turn with a start.

"What is it? Did She change her mind about sending you?" she inquired, delicate eyebrow raised questioningly.

"No, I came to tell you that you needn't worry about Qiang accompanying you on your turn," Xing replied in his usual cool, unemotional way.

"Oh." Sensing that there seemed to be more he had to say, she didn't interrupt and waited quietly.

"You won't be joining him because I am."

Li Wei made what she hoped was a sympathetic expression, trying not to let her obvious relief overshadow it. "When do you leave?"

"Now." He answered simply. "Ja ne."

And with a tiny burst of silver light, he vanished.

xXxXx

_Translations:_

Oi-hey!

Oni-ogre/ghost (Tamahome's symbol)

Seishi-warrior

Suzaku Shichi Seishi-The Suzaku Seven Warriors (sounds easy enough, right?)

Ryuuseisui-Suboshi's weapon thinger

Aniki-Suboshi's special word/nickname-type of thing for his older brother, his twin

Nani-what?

Matte-wait

Minna-everyone

Gomen nasai-I am so sorry

Ja ne-an equivalent of our departing 'later!'

_A/N:_ YAY!!! At last, Chapter 21 makes its debut! Me so happy! And, heh, sorry this took so, _so_ long. A lot of things came up and, well, if you had to deal with them, you'd understand my reasons for lagging behind. And, yes, you may all roll your eyes as I again promise to try and have the next chapter out faster. I said I'd try, that's what counts, dangit! Hopefully I didn't leave you in too much suspense this time around. Possible fluff might be coming up in Chapter 22; I'm not sure. Keep thy fingers crossed! More action for sure! R&R your thoughts to me, please? Lol. Later.

Amaya


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